Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average surged 2.1 per cent on Thursday as market sentiment was buoyed by a weaker yen and overnight gains on Wall Street.
The Nikkei added 309.25 points, or 2.12 per cent, to end at 14,876.41 while the broader-based Topix index was up 14.36 points, or 1.19 per cent, at 1,218.55.
Exporters traded broadly higher as the yen fell against major currencies. A weaker yen makes Japanese goods less expensive abroad and improves repatriated revenues.
The Japanese economy grew at a 1.9 per cent annualised rate in the July-to-September period, slowing from a 3.8 per cent growth rate in the previous quarter, the Government said.
The figures beat the expectations of economists surveyed by the Kyodo News Agency, who predicted growth at 1.4 per cent.
On currency markets at 3 pm (0600 GMT), the dollar traded at 99.63-64 yen, up from Wednesday’s 5 pm quote of 99.56-58 yen.
The euro was quoted at 134.21-28 yen, up from 133.72-77 yen late Wednesday and at $1.3468-3474, up from $1.3429-3431.