(Adds stocks and comments)
By Taiga Uranaka
TOKYO, June 4 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 1.2
percent on Wednesday, with Honda Motor Co Ltd <7267.T> roaring
ahead after it reported double-digit growth in U.S. sales in May,
bucking the industry trend.
Automakers and other exporters such as Sony Corp <6758.T>
also got a boost from a softer yen <JPY=> against the dollar.
Fast Retailing Co Ltd <9983.T> shot up after a report that
the operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain is likely to
beat its own profit forecast. []
"There is talk about inflation, but for Japan it means the
end of deflation -- and that's good for equities," said Toshihiko
Matsuno, assistant general manager of investment and research at
SMBC Friend Securities.
The benchmark Nikkei <> ended the morning up 175.23
points at 14,384.40. The broader Topix index <> gained 1.3
percent to 1,425.82.
Tokyo's gains came despite U.S. stocks falling on Tuesday
after a report that Lehman Brothers <LEH.N> may have to raise
more capital, fuelling fears of another round of big losses from
the credit crisis.
"The Tokyo market had priced that in already the previous
day, and the dollar trading above 105 yen is also reassuring to
those buying Japanese stocks," said Matsuno.
The report on potential problems at Lehman pushed down
Japanese financial shares on Tuesday, but they bounced back on
Wednesday, with top lender Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
<8306.T> climbing 2.1 percent to 1,141 yen.
Matsuno and others pointed to a recent trend in which the
Tokyo market often moves independently of Wall Street.
"I see a change in investors' minds. There is a growing view
that Japanese corporate earnings will not be that bad," said
Yoshihiro Ito, managing director at Okasan Asset Management.
Fast Retailing jumped 10.7 percent to 9,810 yen, by far the
biggest contributor to the Nikkei's gains.
The Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday that the firm
was likely to post a better-than-expected 28 percent rise in
operating profit this year, beating its own projection thanks to
strong sales.
AGRI STOCKS ON RISE
Some agriculture-related stocks rose amid growing concerns
over the global food crisis. []
Farm equipment maker Iseki & Co Ltd <6310.T> jumped 15.1
percent to 365 yen and rival Kubota Corp <6326.T> gained 3.3
percent to 907 yen.
Agri-chemical firm Nihon Nohyaku Co Ltd <4997.T> climbed 3.6
percent to 1,189 yen.
"There is a United Nations food summit going on, and
farming-related stocks are attracting investors' attention,"
Noritsugu Hirakawa, a strategist at Okasan Securities.
Sony rose 2.6 percent to 5,500 yen. Many investors were happy
to see the dollar hovering around 105 yen as the consumer
electronics maker and many other exporters had forecast the
dollar would average 100 yen in the business year to next March.
Honda rose 6.9 percent to 3,730 yen and Toyota Motor Corp
<7203.T> gained 2.6 percent to 5,540 yen. Nissan Motor Co Ltd
<7201.T> climbed 4.3 percent to 965 yen.
U.S. auto sales tumbled in May as consumers spurned pickup
trucks and SUVs in the face of record gasoline prices, driving
General Motors Corp <GM.N>, Ford Motor Co <F.N> and Chrysler LLC
to double-digit declines. []
Honda and Nissan were the two big carmakers to buck the
trend, posting sales rises of 11 and 4 percent, respectively.
Toyota's sales fell 8 percent.
Trade in Tokyo picked up, with some 1.2 billion shares
changing hands compared with last week's morning average of 857
million.
Advancers outnumbered decliners by more than 4 to 1.
(Editing by Hugh Lawson)
