At the close on the 18th, the Nikkei Average extended its winning streak to 6 sessions, ending at ¥71,053.49. Tokyo Electron and SoftBank Group ranked highest in contribution, together adding approximately ¥594 to the Nikkei Average.
At the close on the 18th, the Nikkei Average rose sharply from the previous day, ending at ¥71,053.49. Despite the impact of the previous day's decline in U.S. stocks, the Nikkei Average maintained its winning streak for a 6th consecutive session, supported by buying in semiconductor-related and electronic component stocks. Gains expanded after trading began, the upward trend strengthened toward the end of the morning session, and the index continued to trade near its highs in the afternoon.
Tokyo Electron made the largest positive contribution, adding approximately ¥345, followed by SoftBank Group with a contribution of approximately ¥249. Other contributors included Ibiden, Fast Retailing, Murata Manufacturing and Recruit Holdings, helping lift the market as a whole.
On the other hand, Konami Group made the largest negative contribution, pulling the index down by approximately ¥55, followed by Fujikura, Taiyo Yuden, Shin-Etsu Chemical and Kyocera, which led the declines. By stock at the close, 136 issues rose, 84 fell and 5 were unchanged.