NIKKEI Technicals: 04-04-2019

 | Apr 04, 2019 12:11PM ET

h2 Technical Analysish3 Positive Data Bullish For NIKKEI/h3

Japanese retail sales and housing starts increased in February. Will the NIKKEI continue rising?

Recent Japanese economic data were positive on balance: while the Tankan index for big manufacturers sentiment softened in the first quarter 2019 from the previous three-month period, retail sales inched up 0.2% over month in February after 2.3% decline in January, and housing starts rose 4.1% from 1.1% over year in February. And while services sector expansion slowed a bit in March as Nikkei Services PMI ticked to 52 from 52.3 in February, the manufacturing sector contraction slowed. Most of the decline was due to weaker foreign sales to China and Taiwan. But international trade prospects have been improving lately with China’s Vice Premier Liu He arriving in Washington on Tuesday for a continuation of high-level talks held last week in Beijing after U.S. Chamber of Commerce executive’s comment “ninety percent of the deal is done, but the last 10% is the hardest part” about talks' progress so far. Positive data are bullish for NIKKEI.