Improving sentiment in Japan lifts stock market

Despite talk that better shareholder sentiment is boosting Japan's stock market, the top five performers in the Nikkei 225 do not pay dividends. Investors in Isuzu Motors at the start of 2003 would have seen their shares rise by more than 400% in yen terms by 18 August, almost double the return of the next top performing stock listed in the Nikkei 225. The company has posted gains of 429.27% so far this year and is up 280.7% over the past six months to the same date. The stock closest to it in performance terms, Mizuho Trust & Banking, is up 260% in yen terms from the end of December t...