Market Gauge: Points and Interest Rates

market gauge: On Wednesday, the key market gauge rose 94.96 points. ; The Topix index of all first-section issues finished up 5.96 points, or 0.37 percent, at 1,626.84, after gaining 3.81 points the previous day, according to The Japan Times. The Nikkei got off to a weaker start, with investor sentiment battered by the yen's rise against the dollar traced to a fall in U.S. long-term interest rates following the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee meeting that ended Wednesday. The 225-issue Nikkei average climbed 29.48 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 20,079.64. In a statement issued after the meeting, the Fed showed a somewhat cautious view on inflation in the United States, giving rise to expectations that the pace of additional interest rate hikes by the U.S. central bank will be moderate, brokers said. Buying outpaced selling as hopes for brisk earnings grew after Nintendo and other firms have released strong earnings, said Chihiro Ota, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. The Nikkei, however, moved into positive territory later in the morning thanks to robust earnings results and estimates released by major Japanese companies, they said. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.