At the open on the 18th, the Nikkei Average began trading for a third straight session higher, up ¥545.30 from the previous day at ¥64,681.55. Buying led semiconductor stocks, including Advantest, Tokyo Electron and SoftBank Group, against a backdrop of gains in U.S. tech stocks.
The Nikkei Average opened on the 18th at ¥64,681.55, up ¥545.30 from the previous day.
In U.S. markets, tech stocks, including semiconductor stocks, were bought, and the NY Dow and Nasdaq Composite rebounded for the first time in 4 sessions, while the SOX Index also extended its gains. Buying also spread to semiconductor-related stocks in the Tokyo market.
In the Tokyo foreign exchange market, USD/JPY was moving toward a slightly weaker yen, while the yen-denominated settlement value for Nikkei Average futures was ¥64,830, up ¥630 from the previous day.
For reference, USD/JPY was in the low ¥156 range and EUR/JPY was in the low ¥179 range.