At the afternoon session opening, the Nikkei average started at ¥68,416.31, up ¥1,662.59 from the previous day. Gains in stocks including LASERTEC stood out.
At the afternoon session opening, the Nikkei average stood at ¥68,416.31, up ¥1,662.59 from the previous day, starting with its gain expanding further from the morning close. The intraday futures range was ¥68,500–¥68,700, while the dollar-yen pair was trading in the low ¥158 range. Buying led the market as a whole.
By sector, electrical equipment, precision instruments, and information and communications were the top gainers, while insurance, banks, and oil and coal products were among the biggest decliners. The leading stocks by trading value included LASERTEC, Taiyo Yuden, Mitsui Mining & Smelting, Advantest, Ibiden, Murata Mfg., Micronics, SCREEN HD, TDK, and KOKUSAI, while Nidec, Tokio Marine, Mitsubishi UFJ, Resona HD, Mizuho, Sumitomo Mitsui, JT, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Japan Post Bank, and Chugai Pharmaceutical declined.
The rebound in South Korea's KOSPI and movements in long-term US interest rates were affecting intraday trends, while caution also persisted in the Tokyo market. There was also speculation that gains could continue in the afternoon, supported by semiconductor-related stocks.
News reports on afternoon trading cited several stocks, including LASERTEC, and developments in semiconductor-related stocks were attracting attention as a factor pushing up the Nikkei average.