Japanese Stocks Rise as Falling Oil Prices and US-Iran Peace Deal Boost Investor Sentiment
Japanese equities climbed in the latest session, driven by AI-related stocks, as investor confidence improved following a drop in oil prices after a peace agreement was reached between the United States and Iran.
The Topix Index rose 0.3% to 4,079.47 as of 9:07 a.m. Tokyo time, while the Nikkei 225 advanced 1.1% to 71,801.64. SoftBank Group Corp. led gains in the Topix, increasing 3.9%. Out of 1,639 stocks on the index, 988 advanced, 550 declined, and 101 remained unchanged.
“AI and semiconductor-related stocks are likely to remain in demand, with the Nikkei 225 leading the market upward,” said Masahiro Ichikawa, Chief Market Strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management. “Many investors expect higher returns from continued purchases of AI and semiconductor stocks rather than lagging sectors.”
Sentiment in the sector was also buoyed after Intel Corp.’s stock surged on Thursday, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that the chipmaker would collaborate with Apple Inc. to design and produce semiconductors domestically.
Meanwhile, currency risks remain in focus, as the yen trades near its weakest level against the dollar in four decades. The USD/JPY rose as much as 0.7% to 161.81 on Thursday, with the next key milestone at 161.95, which could take the yen to its lowest level since December 1986. Despite this, many companies are planning around a yen-to-dollar rate of 152–153, leaving room for earnings to surpass expectations even if the yen appreciates.
Source : Newsmaker.id
