FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Gain on Tech Rally

The Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 0.87%, concluding Thursday's trading session at 44,937, effectively ending a four-day decline. This upward movement was influenced by significant gains in the U.S. stock market, primarily driven by chip-related stocks. Although there are lingering concerns about a potential U.S. government shutdown, the market has benefited from strong capital expenditures and anticipated further rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Investor sentiment in the region received a boost following a deal struck between OpenAI, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix of South Korea to supply memory chips, fostering confidence around developments in artificial intelligence. Notably, Tokyo Electron, a maker of chipmaking equipment, saw its shares rise by 7.9%, and Advantest, a producer of testing equipment, appreciated by 2.5%. SoftBank Group, which has substantial exposure to AI technologies, also performed well, with its shares growing by 5.8%. Other notable gains were recorded by Disco with an increase of 11.7%, Lasertec at 2.7%, and Sanrio at 6.5%.