Bumper Profits: Wall Street and Equities Rally

bumper profits: Japan Inc. has been reporting bumper profits and the world's third-largest economy is on an upswing, but the market has also benefited from a global equities rally that saw Wall Street chalking up more record finishes on the past two weeks, according to The Japan Times. The Nikkei has rebounded from below the 15,000 mark in June last year after Britain's vote to exit the European Union pummeled world markets, while a strong yen hit domestic exporters. The Nikkei 225 average rose 0.28 percent, or 57.76 points, to end at 20,881.27, its best finish since December 1996. ; The index closed at levels last seen the year that Prince Charles and Diana divorced, Bill Clinton won his second term as U.S. president and Nintendo launched its Pokemon brand. The index has regained vigor since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected as dealers bet on his plans for big spending and tax cuts. The International Monetary Fund upgraded its view of the country's economy on Tuesday, saying it now expects 1.5 percent GDP growth in 2017 and 0.7 percent next year, up from a July projection of 1.3 percent and 0.6 percent respectively. Japan kicks off its latest earnings season this month while the nation's economy has logged its longest string of quarterly gains in a decade. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.