FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Edge Up on Tech Gains

The Nikkei 225 Index experienced a modest rise of 0.1%, closing at 50,635, while the broader Topix Index edged up slightly by 0.02% to reach 3,385 on Tuesday. This shift reversed earlier downward trends, largely propelled by gains in technology stocks. The global semiconductor market received a boost as U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a deal permitting Nvidia to resume H200 AI chip shipments to China. Among the prominent gainers were SoftBank Group, which climbed 0.8%, Lasertec rising by 3.6%, Disco Corp increasing by 4.7%, and Tokyo Electron by 1.3%. Investors are also gearing up for a potential interest rate reduction in the U.S. later this week, despite the policy outlook for 2026 remaining ambiguous. In the interim, market participants are keenly awaiting remarks from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, who is set to speak at an event in London today. Meanwhile, market sentiment was slightly dampened by reports of a magnitude-7.6 earthquake affecting Japan’s northeast coast overnight.