Japan stocks closed higher amid optimism about the US debt ceiling agreement

Japan’s Nikkei index closed higher on Thursday, amid investors buying stocks after losses recorded in the previous session and amid optimism after the US House of Representatives approved the debt ceiling bill that will avoid the country from default.

The Nikkei index rose 0.84 percent to close at 31,148.01 points, after it started trading on a lower note. The index’s gains accelerated after the news that the divided US House of Representatives passed a bill to suspend the debt ceiling of $31.4 trillion.

The broader Topix index rose 0.88 percent to 2,149.29 points.

The Nikkei index ended a four-day winning streak in the previous session, its biggest decline since April 5, amid profit-taking.

Technology investment group SoftBank Group jumped 4.57 percent, becoming the top gainer on the Nikkei index.

Toyota Motor Corp rose 1.81 percent after the automaker said it would invest an additional $2.1 billion in its new battery plant in North Carolina, in the United States, in an effort to tap growing demand for electric vehicles.

In total, 143 stocks rose on the Nikkei index, 76 stocks declined, while six stocks remained unchanged.