TOKYO: Japanese stocks eked out modest gains on Tuesday as investors were more circumspect after the previous day's relief rally over US-China trade talks, while tech shares benefited from a rise in their Wall Street counterparts.
Japan's
Nikkei share average ended the day up 0.11 per cent at 21,754.27 after brushing 21,784.22, its highest since May 7.
The index had gained 2.1 per cent on Monday as risk sentiment improved after the United States and China agreed to restart trade talks during a
G20 summit over the weekend.
"Profit-taking after the previous day's big gains is capping the market," said Soichiro Monji, senior strategist at Sumitomo
Mitsui DS Asset Management.
"The trade issue is an ongoing process which cannot be digested at once. Meanwhile the market will turn to fundamentals, notably the US economy, and corporate results for near-term guidance."
Tech-related companies advanced after their US peers jumped overnight.
Tokyo Electron gained 2.9 per cent,
Mitsubishi Electric Corp added 0.85 per cent and Screen Holdings climbed 4.5 per cent.
Fujifilm Holdings Corp rose 1.45 per cent following news that it will team up with German drugmaker Bayer to develop cancer treatment using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS).
Workman was up 5.8 per cent after the maker and distributor of workwear reported that its existing store sales increased 35.8 per cent in June on a year-on-year basis.
Software company System Integrator Corp rallied 10.7 per cent after it revised up its operating profit forecast for the six months through August to 200 million yen ($1.85 million) from 140 million yen.
Of Tokyo's 33 subindexes, 28 were in positive territory.
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,429 to 628.
The broader Topix added 0.31 per cent to 1,589.84.