Japanese big manufacturers’ sentiment improved in the three months to September, the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) closely watched tankan business survey showed on Friday. The headline index for big manufacturers’ sentiment index stood at plus 18 in the third quarter, up from plus 14 in the previous quarter. It compared with a median market forecast for plus 13. The index gauging sentiment for three months ahead stood at plus 14, compared with the median forecast for plus 15, it showed. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Leika Kihara; Editing by Himani Sarkar)