The Nikkei 225 Index surged more than 2% toward the 70,000 level on Monday, hitting a three-month high after weaker-than-expected US employment data eased pressure on the Federal Reserve to pursue further interest rate hikes. Nonetheless, sentiment remained cautious as bond yields stayed elevated and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East persisted.
On the domestic front, investors are awaiting a slate of key economic indicators due this week, including figures on wage growth, household spending, and consumer confidence.
In corporate developments, SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son—one of the most prominent advocates for artificial intelligence—said he is increasingly worried about safety risks as machines rapidly gain new capabilities. He called on governments worldwide to foster trust and cooperate more closely to harness AI responsibly.
Technology and AI-related stocks led the advance, with notable gains in Kioxia Holdings (up 1.3%), Advantest (4.4%), SoftBank Group (3.3%), Tokyo Electron (3.2%), and Taiyo Yuden (3%).
