11 November 2013

Japanese Shares Advance on U.S. Economic Optimism, Weaker Yen

Bloomberg (11/10) -- Japanese shares rose, with the Topix index advancing for the first time in three days, as the yen weakened after a better-than-forecast U.S. jobs report added to signs of growth in the world’s biggest economy.The Topix index gained 1.2 percent to 1,190.13 as of 9:01 a.m. in Tokyo, with all but one of the 33 industry groups rising. The measure last week fell 0.6 percent to close on Nov. 8 at a one-month low. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average advanced 1.4 percent to 14,278.34. The yen dropped for a second day, declining 0.2 percent to 99.20 per dollar.American employers added 204,000 workers last month after a revised 163,000 gain in September that was larger than previously estimated, Labor Department figures showed Nov. 8. The increase in payrolls topped the most optimistic forecast in a survey of economists and spurred a 1.3 percent advance for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Factory output in China rose more than analysts estimated last month and inflation quickened less than forecast, separate reports showed Nov. 9.Futures on the S&P 500 were little changed today. The Federal Reserve will pare the monthly pace of bond buying to $70 billion at a March 18-19 meeting from the current pace of $85 billion, according to the median of 32 economist estimates in a Nov. 8 Bloomberg News survey.