Tokyo’s equities markets saw significant gains Wednesday after the Fed’s move to cut US interest rates on Tuesdady and after the Bank of Japan voted Wednesday to hold its overnight rate at 0.5 percent.

Most analysts had expected the Japanese central bank to keep rates at their present level.

The Nikkei 225 added 3.67 percent to 16,381.54, while the Topix index gained 3.75 percent to 1,567.58 and the Mothers market was up 2.08 percent to 633.34.

Banks were higher on the session.

Mizuho (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was 4.5 percent higher to ¥632,000, while Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) added 5.8 percent to ¥821,000 and Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) gained 6.1 percent to ¥1.05 million for its biggest one-day gain in nearly two years.

Soaring oil prices sent shares related to that sector higher.

AOC Holdings (TYO: 5017) was up 4.3 percent to ¥1,812, while refiner Cosmo Oil (TYO: 5007) was 6.3 percent higher to ¥578 after it said that International Petroleum Investment Co, Abu Dhabi’s state-controlled oil company, will become its biggest shareholder by purchasing a 20.85 percent stake.

Trader Itochu (TYO: 8001), which deals in industrial fuel, added 6.7 percent to ¥1,328.

Oil explorer Inpex jumped 8.9 percent to ¥1.22 million for its biggest one-day gain since it listed in 2006.

Exporters also saw gains on hopes that the Fed’s move will support demand in the United States.

Camera maker Canon (TYO: 7751; NYSE: CAJ) added 3.5 percent to ¥6,300, while Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) and Nintendo (TYO: 7974; NAS: NTDOY; FWB: NTO) gained 5.4 percent to ¥58,600.

Tokyo’s equities markets were higher on Tuesday.

The Nikkei 225 added 0.3 percent to 16,844.61, while the Topix index was up 0.3 percent to 1,637.46.

The Mothers market gained 0.62 percent to 722.26.

General traders, significantly lower in recent sessions, did better on the day.

Mitsubishi Corp (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was 4.2 percent higher to ¥3,090, while Itochu (TYO: 8001) added 6.9 percent to ¥1,323.

Itochu had dropped 18 percent since the beginning of the month.

Home appliance retailers did very well as continued temperatures of over 35 degrees centigrade (95 degrees Fahrenheit) boosted sales of air conditioners.

Kojima (TYO: 7513) was 5.8 percent higher to ¥998, while Edion (TYO: 2730) jumped 9.9 percent to ¥1,210.

Shippers did better on the possibility that rates for shipping could go up as carriers worked near capacity.

Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) was up 3.4 percent to ¥1,147, while Kawasaki Kisen (TYO: 9107) added 4.3 percent to ¥1,549 and Mitsui OSK Lines (TYO: 9104) gained 4.6 percent to ¥1,698.

Declines came in financial services as subprime market worries continued.

Among banks, Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) was 1 percent lower to ¥978,000, while Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) was down 1.7 percent to ¥1.14 million for its lowest close in nearly 2 years.

Insurer Millea Holdings (TYO: 8766) dropped 2.1 percent to ¥4,690.