The filing by leading U.S. AI company Anthropic with the SEC to begin IPO procedures is expected to attract buying to AI and semiconductor stocks and have spillover effects on the Japanese market. Expectations are spreading that the Nikkei 225 correction will run its course, bringing buying against the trend into focus.
U.S. markets rebounded this week, with the Dow and Nasdaq rising, while the SOX Index, which includes semiconductor stocks, posted a sharp gain. Ahead of this, Anthropic filed an S-1 registration statement with the SEC as part of its IPO procedures. The company is expected to list on the NASDAQ market as early as late November, providing a buying catalyst for AI- and semiconductor-related stocks.
According to Anthropic’s filing, revenue in the first half of this year was $16.286 billion, 14 times higher than in the same period a year earlier, while net losses were $80.7 billion. The IPO could raise more than $100 billion and result in a market valuation of between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion, with the company’s scale heightening market expectations.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose from the previous day’s close, and expectations are growing that renewed buying of AI- and semiconductor-related stocks will spread. At the same time, some believe that the outlook will depend on whether credit concerns surrounding emerging U.S. AI infrastructure companies are resolved. Monetary policy events in the next period, including developments at the FOMC and the Bank of Japan’s monetary policy meeting, are also viewed as key factors for the market.
Stronger cybersecurity measures by Japanese companies have also become a market theme. Following the announcement of unauthorized access to GMO Internet and compensation measures, the government indicated that it intends to strengthen active cyber defense. Against this backdrop, demand for security-related stocks is also expected to expand.
Going forward, continued renewed buying of AI and semiconductor stocks triggered by the disclosure of Anthropic’s IPO prospectus is anticipated. The main scenario calls for the Nikkei 225 to move toward its 25-day and 75-day moving averages. Readers should monitor both the performance of related stocks and developments in the U.S. and Chinese markets.