Good picks lift Baillie Gifford Japan

Baillie Gifford Japan Trust's net asset value per share increased by 7.6% to 199.4p, beating the 4.2% increase in the TOPIX total return index in the six months to February.Good stock selection, particularly in the Financials and Commerce and Services sectors, boosted the performance, BGTJ said. Sterling returns over the period were boosted by the strength of the yen, with the yen appreciating by 11.8%."Japan's corporate sector continues to show a recovery in profitability, with both half year and third quarter results showing generally encouraging trends," it added.