The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.74% to finish at 67,743 on Tuesday, recovering from earlier losses as semiconductor and other technology shares rebounded on bargain hunting. Japanese stocks also diverged from the tech-led selloff on Wall Street overnight, where chipmakers came under pressure amid mounting doubts about the durability of the artificial intelligence-driven rally.
Notable technology gainers in Japan included Kioxia Holdings (up 3%), SoftBank Group (3.3%), Advantest (3.3%), SUMCO Corp (3.4%), and SCREEN Holdings (2.3%).
At the same time, investors kept a close watch on rising tensions in the Middle East after President Donald Trump announced plans to reinstate a blockade on Iranian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement sent oil prices sharply higher and reignited concerns that central banks may be forced to raise interest rates to keep inflation in check.
