Doha: Japan's Nikkei index experienced an uptick in trading on Thursday, buoyed by optimistic earnings expectations from Advantest, which in turn lifted semiconductor-related stocks. However, the broader Topix index faced downward pressure due to declining bank shares.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Nikkei rose by 0.71 percent to close at 61,867.43. In contrast, the Topix saw a decline of 0.54 percent, ending the day at 3,952.5. This divergence highlights the mixed performance across different sectors of the market.

Advantest shares surged 10.85 percent following the company's announcement of a 35 percent increase in its full-year operating profit forecast on Wednesday. This positive development for Advantest had a ripple effect, boosting shares of other semiconductor companies. Notably, Tokyo Electron, a chipmaking equipment manufacturer, saw its shares rise by 4.48 percent. Memory chip maker Kioxia and Murata Manufacturing also posted gains of 2.92 percent and 2.97 percent, respectively.

Conversely, banking stocks faced a decline. Shares of major financial institutions such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group each fell by more than 3 percent. This downturn in bank stocks contributed to the overall drop in the Topix index.

Other notable movements included a 3 percent fall in Toyota Motor shares and a significant 6.52 percent decline in Nomura Research Institute, which specializes in systems integration, marking it as the biggest percentage loser on the Nikkei.

Of the more than 1,500 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, 34 percent advanced, 63 percent declined, and 1 percent remained largely unchanged, illustrating the varied market conditions on the day.