FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Advance for Third Straight Session

The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.9% to above 64,500 on Thursday, extending its gains for a third straight session after the US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged as widely expected, despite two policymakers voting in favor of a hike. Investors also weighed mixed earnings from US megacap technology firms, with Alphabet missing revenue forecasts while Microsoft reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results.

In Japan, attention is shifting to the Bank of Japan’s upcoming policy meeting, where officials are expected to keep interest rates on hold but may signal a possible hike in December amid persistent inflationary pressures. Technology stocks continued to lead the advance, with notable gains in Kioxia (8%), Advantest (7.7%) and Ibiden (5%). Financial shares also moved higher, including Mitsubishi UFJ (1.7%), Sumitomo Mitsui (1.4%) and Mizuho Financial (1.7%).