The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 2% to surpass 67,000 on Wednesday, while the broader Topix Index advanced 1% to 4,055, extending gains from the previous session as semiconductor stocks followed a strong rally on Wall Street. Chipmakers underpinned the broader market after solid export figures from Taiwan and South Korea reinforced confidence in the global semiconductor sector. Sentiment was further lifted by Super Micro Computer, which surged in extended US trading after reporting a record order backlog driven by robust demand for its AI-optimized servers.
In Japan, notable technology gainers included Kioxia Holdings (up 8.2%), SoftBank Group (4.1%), Murata Manufacturing (6.9%), Taiyo Yuden (11%), and Advantest (4.3%). At the same time, the Japanese yen weakened to a new 40-year low, pressured by higher oil prices, a stronger US dollar, and rising US Treasury yields. On the macroeconomic front, Japan’s trade balance swung back into deficit in June as import growth outpaced exports.
