TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei average rose on Thursday to end just below the key 9,000 mark on mounting expectations of fresh stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve, with big gains for shippers and Apple suppliers buoying the market.

Investors covered bearish bets ahead of the Fed decision later in the day as they wait to see if it will launch another round of bond-buying to kick start a flagging economic recovery in the United States.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei average fell on Tuesday as investors were cautious ahead of the German constitutional court’s ruling over the legality of the European bailout fund on Wednesday and the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting this week.

The Nikkei .N225 dropped 0.8 percent to 8,800.35, holding above the support level of its five-day moving average at 8,780.35.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average slipped on Monday, led by exporters as the yen strengthened on mounting expectations that the Federal Reserve would launch further stimulus measures after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data.

Expectations of another round of quantitative-easing bond purchases by the Fed weighed on the dollar against the yen, hurting Japanese exporters’ competitiveness even though more stimulus could help boost demand for their products. The Fed will next hold its policy meeting on September 12-13.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei average climbed 2.2 percent on Friday, its biggest one-day percentage gain in five months, after the European Central Bank outlined its bond buying scheme in an attempt to draw a line under the region’s debt crisis.

Stronger-than-expected jobs data from U.S. private sector, which bode well for the key U.S. non-farm payroll figures due out on Friday, also encouraged investors to cover their bearish bets.

TOKYO, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Japanese government bond prices
were mostly weaker on Tuesday, although the 20-year yield was
flat suggesting investors saw value in that part of the yield
curve, analysts said.

The JGB market also shrugged off minutes of the Bank of
Japan’s July meeting, which showed a few BOJ board members said
the central bank should not rule out any options in advance and
stand ready to act if substantial risks emerge as a result of
Europe’s debt woes.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei average fell on Friday as ECB chief Mario Draghi disappointed investors by offering mo immediate action to defend euro, with quarterly losses from Sharp and Sony adding to the gloom.

Both Sharp Corp (6753.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) were heading for their lowest closing level in more than three decades following the heavy losses and cuts in their full-year earnings outlook. Sharp plunged nearly 30 percent while Sony tumbled close to 9 percent.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average advanced on Thursday as investors scooped up battered stocks, while hopes for policy action from the European Central Bank offered support.

Shares that suffered steep losses on Wednesday because of disappointing earnings or forecasts recovered somewhat, with Seiko Epson Corp (6724.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) up 1.1 percent to move away from the previous day’s lifetime low and Sumitomo Heavy Industries (6302.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) gaining 2.2 percent after tumbling nearly 15 percent.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average ended a four-session winning run on Wednesday as a slew of companies were heavily punished for disappointing earnings and after data showed China’s factory activity barely grew in July.

Construction machinery maker Komatsu Ltd (6301.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and shipbuilder Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd (6302.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) were among a raft of companies that cut earnings guidance after being hit by sluggish demand in China, Japan’s largest export market.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average logged its worst July performance in five years on concerns about a deepening euro zone crisis and slowing global growth, although month-end buying from fund managers lifted the benchmark to a one-week closing high on Tuesday.

Sentiment was also lifted by a mixed bag of positive news for individual stocks with Canon Inc (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research) announcing its second share buyback in two months, Mitsubishi Electric Corp (6503.T: Quote, Profile, Research) reporting better-than-expected profits and struggling Renesas Electronics Corp (6723.T: Quote, Profile, Research) managing to secure loans.

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average rose to a one-week high on Monday, powered by growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank may implement further stimulus measures.

Strong quarterly earnings from Fujifilm Holdings Corp (4901.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Konica Minolta Holdings Inc (4902.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) also supported the index, which has fallen 5.5 percent from a two-month high hit in early July on concerns over a deepening euro zone crisis and slowing global growth.