In the week of 17–21 August, the Nikkei Average is expected to eye a return to ¥70,000 for the first time in about a month and a half, while the yen exchange rate is expected to remain focused on the ¥160-per-dollar threshold.
This week, the Nikkei Stock Average is expected to eye a return to the ¥70,000 level for the first time in about a month and a half. Reports indicate that stock-picking is likely to broaden following listed companies’ April–June 2026 earnings.
The market has seen funds spreading beyond AI and semiconductor-related stocks to stocks unrelated to AI, and the range of potential stock selections may widen.
Although concerns about currency intervention remain, the yen exchange rate is expected to continue trading with the ¥160-per-dollar psychological threshold in focus.
Views that long-term interest rates still have room to rise are prevailing, while oil market trends affected by the situation in the Middle East have been cited as a market risk factor.