The Nikkei 225 Index surged more than 2% on Wednesday to close above the 68,000 mark for the first time, setting a new record as a sustained rally in technology stocks drove the market higher. Investor enthusiasm over artificial intelligence–related opportunities outweighed worries about stalled US–Iran peace negotiations. Japanese companies remain central to the build-out of global AI infrastructure, positioning them to benefit from the sector’s rapid expansion.
Chipmaking equipment giant Tokyo Electron and semiconductor testing equipment maker Advantest led the technology advance, jumping 13.4% and 5.1%, respectively. Other notable gainers included Kioxia Holdings (+0.7%), Fujikura (+9.3%), and Furukawa Electric (+4.3%). At the same time, investors kept a close eye on US–Iran talks, where conflicting messages from both sides continued to fuel geopolitical uncertainty.
