Nikkei likely to rise, tracking Wall Street's gains
Japanese stocks were likely to rise, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. Strong bank earnings and a weaker-than-expected U.S. inflation report boosted sentiment. Domestic technology stocks may also be affected by the intensive pressure of technology stocks The composite index gained 0.9% on Tuesday. However, gains in the Japanese benchmark may be capped amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. On the Singapore Exchange, Nikkei futures rose 710 points to 68,355 points. The Nikkei closed up 0.7% on Tuesday at 67,743.50 points.