Most Japanese Stocks Rise After U.S. Gains as Shippers Advance

Most Japanese stocks rose, tracking gains in U.S. equities, as shipping lines and insurers advanced.

The Topix traded little changed at 1,672.76 at 9:08 a.m. in Tokyo, with about nine shares climbing for every seven that fell. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average increased less than 0.1 percent to 20,626.57. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.5 percent in New York on Monday, reversing losses as data showed confidence among homebuilders climbed to the highest level in almost a decade.

Investors are refocusing attention on the strength of the U.S. economy and its implications for Federal Reserve interest-rate policy. The central bank releases minutes from its July meeting on Wednesday. Traders see a 46 percent chance of a September rate increase, according to futures trading data compiled by Bloomberg.

China may cut its reserve-requirement ratio, the China Securities Journal said in a front-page article, citing unidentified analysts.

Source: Bloomberg