Global Market: Japan’s Nikkei rises on Advantest forecast; Samsung slump caps gains

Japan’s Nikkei share average rose on Thursday, supported by chip equipment maker Advantest’s improved profit forecast, although a sharp decline in South Korea’s Samsung Electronics weighed on investor sentiment despite the company’s record earnings, according to a Reuters report.

The Nikkei ended the morning session up 0.3% at 64,131.28, paring gains after rising as much as 1.3% earlier in the session. Advantest was the biggest contributor to the index’s advance, adding 408 points to its net gain of 177 points.