Japan: Japan's Nikkei index experienced an increase on Thursday as investors showed interest in gaming and pharmaceutical stocks, which had previously seen significant declines. The easing of crude oil prices and the anticipated monetary policy decision by the US Federal Reserve contributed to a positive market sentiment.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Nikkei index closed with a 0.3% gain at 64,136.25, while the broader Topix index rose 0.8% to 4,094.19. However, the chip sector faced challenges, with major players like Advantest and Tokyo Electron dragging the Nikkei down by 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively.

In contrast, some AI-related stocks defied the overall trend. SoftBank Group experienced a 1% increase, and cable maker Fujikura saw a rise of 0.6%. The gaming and pharmaceutical sectors, which had lagged behind the broader market, caught investors' attention. This led to a 4.3% rise in Nintendo shares and a 3.4% gain in Bandai Namco shares. Sumitomo Pharma emerged as the biggest percentage gainer on the Nikkei index, with shares jumping 5.3%.

Oil-related companies saw a decline as crude prices fell, resulting in a 3.2% drop in Inpex shares.