Nikkei Edges Higher in Narrow Trading, TOPIX Gains 0.6% in Broad Rally

Japan market summary for Wednesday (Sept. 26)
Nikkei 225 Stock Average: +34.01 (+.02%) to 16,435.74
Nikkei 225 futures Osaka: +70 (+0.4%) to 16,500, Singapore (SGX) +45 (+0.3%) to 16,495, Chicago (CME) *9/25 -15 (-0.1%) to 16,400
TOPIX: +9.19 (+0.6%) to 1,576.02; Advancers 1,240 x decliners 385 (unch. 94), New highs 31 x new lows 60
Jasdaq: +17.18 (+0.9%) to 1,829.19
Yen: weakened about 0.4% against US$ to 115.15 level late in Tokyo; weakened about 0.6% against euro to 162.60 level
Notes: Japan’s August trade surplus surprised big to the upside, nearly quadrupling year-over-year to a US$ equivalent of $6.5B, as exports climbed 14.5%, beating 11.8% growth in July and economists’ average forecast of 10.9%. Strengths were in autos and steel, especially to China, the broader Asia region and the EU. Auto stocks didn’t perform well, however, as concerns over a U.S. slowdown weighed on investors. Toyota (NYSE: TM) (JP: 7203) warned its Sept. U.S. sales may disappoint after 25% growth last year. The biggest gains of the day were concentrated among Japan’s “emerging” smaller cap stocks, led by an 8.1% jump in the MOTHERS and +4.6% in the
HERCULES indices.