Nikkei clocks 15-month high

Japan’s Nikkei index clocked a 15-month high of 19,668 levels this Thursday morning on the back of weaker Yen and fresh record highs in the US stocks.

The index was last seen trading around 19,623.8 levels. Exporter shares trade on the front foot. Winners include names like Toho Zinc, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Mitsubishi UFJ. Meanwhile, losing side included Japan Tobacco, Showa Denko, Rakuten Inc.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.2%, led by a rebound in the Australian shares. S&P 500 jumped 2.84% in the overnight trade despite sharp rise in the March Fed rate hike bets.

The risk sentiment is strong across the globe. Even the Franco-German yield spread narrowed to the smallest in a month. 

The focus remains on the Fed speak. Chair Janet Yellena and Vice Chair Stanley Fischer are scheduled to speak on Friday and would most likely provide further signals on the FEd's policy path.