The Nikkei 225 extended its advance sharply, rising ¥737 from the previous day to close at ¥70,683. Advantest set a record high, while buying spread across AI- and semiconductor-related stocks.
The Nikkei 225 opened up ¥134, with some early weakness, but rebounded quickly. Gains widened toward the afternoon session, and the index rose as high as ¥70,798 before remaining near its highs toward the close. The market was broadly firm, with TOPIX up 38 points and the TSE Growth 250 up 11 points.
Among individual stocks, Advantest rose as much as 4.0% to ¥41,900, setting a record high. Growing demand for semiconductor testing equipment provided support, while NVIDIA’s performance was also cited as a catalyst for buying in related stocks.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group extended its advance, rising 1.6% to ¥3,671. The view was expressed that expectations for higher bank earnings amid rising long-term interest rates had supported the stock. Daiseki rose 2.4% to ¥3,570 after reporting a 12% year-on-year increase in operating profit for the interim period of the fiscal year ending February 2027, supported by AI-related demand. CoCo Ichibanya fell back 4.5% to ¥1,051, apparently affected by soaring raw-material and logistics costs. NexStage fell 4.9% to ¥2,699. Although third-quarter net profit rose 75% year on year, the decision to leave its full-year outlook unchanged was viewed as a selling catalyst.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, attention will focus on whether the Nikkei 225 can sustain its sharp rise above ¥70,000. Sakata Seed and note’s domestic earnings announcements, as well as the release of US economic indicators, were also cited as potential market catalysts. The view was expressed that investors should monitor developments in the broader market and the earnings trends of individual stocks.