Nikkei Rises 0.59%, Ending a 4-day Losing Streak

Japanese stocks rebounded Wednesday, August 18th, led by gains in FUJIFILM and other defensive stocks, while the benchmark Nikkei index ended a four-day losing streak, but concerns about the delta strain kept investors on guard.

The Nikkei index rose 0.59% to 27,585.91 points, reversing losses incurred earlier when it reached its lowest level since July 30.

The broader TOPIX index rose 0.44% to 1923.97 points.

Defensive stocks led the gains, while many cyclical stocks fell due to continuing concerns that the spread of the delta strain could derail economic recovery at home and abroad.