Japan's Nikkei rises as US government shutdown ends, Topix posts record high

Japan's Nikkei share average edged up higher on Thursday, as the historic U.S. government shutdown ended, while the broader Topix index posted a record high close on value-buying.

The Nikkei rose 0.43% to close at 51,281.83. The Topix rose 0.67% to an all-time high close of 3,381.72, extending gains to a fourth session.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in the country's history.


In Japan, chip-related Advantest rose 4.24% to become the biggest source for the Nikkei's gain.

Fibre optic maker Fujikura advanced 3.16%, while peers Furukawa Electric and Sumitomo Electric jumped 12.23% and 7%, respectively.

SoftBank Group fell 3.38% to weigh the most on the Nikkei.

Bank shares rose, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group climbing 2%. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group gained 1.19% and 2.55%, respectively.

"Investors started buying value stocks. This move is similar to what is going on in the U.S.," said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at IwaiCosmo Securities.

Wall Street's main indexes closed mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average notching a record-high close and the Nasdaq losing ground as investors moved out of pricey technology stocks.

"Money has started flowing to broader stocks and sectors in Japan," Shimada said.

The utility sector jumped 3.08% and the brokerage sector rose 2.08%.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's prime market, 59% rose, 37% fell and 3% traded flat.