Shares of Japanese insurance companies declined after a Barclays Plc analyst lowered his target prices for top insurers, saying that he doesn’t see prospects for further appreciation after shares jumped this year.

Japan is already Asia’s best-performing stock market this year, and if history is any guide, it’s gearing up for a monthly gain that will outshine global rallies.

A soaring stock market and pressure from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have eroded Japanese banks’ resistance to unwinding shareholdings in key corporate clients.

Japan’s gross domestic product expanded in the third quarter rather than contracting as previously thought, meaning the economy didn’t enter a recession earlier this year.

Toshiba Corp. plans to restructure its operations and sell additional assets after Japan’s securities regulator recommended fining the company about 7.37 billion yen ($60 million) for falsifying earnings, the largest financial penalty ever sought by the watchdog.

Asian stocks rose after a U.S. employment report boosted optimism in the world’s largest economy, with Japanese shares climbing as a weaker yen sent exporters higher.