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"Investors around the world are starting to think about taking risks again"
- Koji Toda, chief fund manager at Resona Bank Ltd.
Japanese stocks closed higher on Thursday after the International Monetary Fund said it aims to extend lending facilities by $500 billion. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.04%, or 89.10 points, to 8,639.68, while the broader Topix gained 0.78%, or 5.70, to 740.68.
"Investors around the world are starting to think about taking risks again," said Koji Toda, chief fund manager at Tokyo-based Resona Bank Ltd.
"Economic data out of the U.S. has been relatively firm and Europe doesn't look like it's going to fall into chaos right away."
"It's good that the IMF is also enhancing the safety net for European financial firms," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co. in Tokyo.