FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Climb for Second Straight Session

The Nikkei 225 Index climbed by 1% to surpass 34,300, and the broader Topix Index increased by 1.2% to reach 2,518 on Tuesday. This movement continued the upward trend from the previous session, influenced by a robust performance on Wall Street overnight. Major U.S. stock indexes saw gains on Monday as President Donald Trump announced exemptions for crucial electronic goods from his reciprocal tariffs, and was reportedly contemplating a pause on his 25% tariffs on auto imports. Nonetheless, a measure of caution persisted as the U.S. Commerce Department began a national security investigation into semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports, keeping the global markets vigilant. Investors are now turning their attention to the upcoming U.S.-Japan trade discussions, which are expected to guide the market's direction. The rally in Tokyo was led by auto stocks, with significant increases from Suzuki Motor at +5%, Toyota Motor at +4.8%, and Honda Motor at +5%. Financial, industrial, and consumer-related stocks also showed substantial gains.