Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1% to surpass 39,300 on Thursday, reaching its highest level in four months as tech stocks rallied in tandem with Wall Street gains. The move followed a surge in Nvidia shares, which hit new record highs overnight to reclaim its status as the world’s most valuable public company, fueled by continued optimism around artificial intelligence.
Japanese chip-related stocks mirrored the momentum, with Advantest climbing 4.3%, Tokyo Electron rising 1.7%, Lasertec gaining 1.5%, and SoftBank Group adding 2.8%. Geopolitical sentiment also improved as the ceasefire between Iran and Israel appeared to hold, with Washington preparing to engage in talks with Tehran next week. On the policy front, the Bank of Japan’s latest Summary of Opinions reinforced a cautious approach to monetary tightening. Several board members emphasized the need to maintain accommodative conditions amid persistent global trade uncertainties and geopolitical risks.
