Japan’s Nikkei hit a record high for a third straight session, powered by a sudden surge in technology stocks. Even as the broader market slipped, tech shares tracked gains seen on Wall Street. SoftBank Group stood out with a notable jump in profits, though performance varied widely across individual companies.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged to a fresh record above 62,000, fueled by global optimism after strong tech earnings and eased Middle East tensions. Technology stocks, especially AI-linked names, drove the momentum, while government bonds also strengthened. The yen held steady after earlier gains, underscoring a broad risk-on shift across markets.
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Japan’s equities head into earnings season with a strong starting point, supported by tech optimism and ongoing reforms. Yet Middle East tensions are injecting uncertainty, threatening growth, inflation, and energy costs. Even as earnings expectations stay relatively resilient, investors are growing cautious that external shocks could stall a rally that has already gained strong momentum.
Nomura, Japan’s largest investment bank, logged a record annual profit for the second year running, driven by strength in wholesale markets and domestic wealth management. Even as the Iran-US conflict raises geopolitical concerns, the firm says it expects no structural disruption to Japan’s longer-term growth drivers, including overseas expansion and coping with a shrinking population.
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