The optimistic mood following U.S. Micron’s earnings announcement lifted AI-related stocks, and the Nikkei 225 broke above ¥68,000. Taiwan’s Japan semiconductor ETF “00951” surged more than 5% in one day.
Micron Technology reported strong earnings after the close in the United States, spreading positive sentiment across AI-related stocks. In response, the Nikkei 225 rose sharply during the day’s trading, closing at ¥68,956. The gain reached 3.3%, breaking above the ¥68,000 milestone.
Semiconductor-related stocks led the market, with Advantest, Tokyo Electron, SoftBank Group, Kioxia, Lasertec and SCREEN Holdings among those rising in unison. The TOPIX, however, did not reflect the gains to the same extent as the Nikkei 225, ending up 0.57% at 4,131.98 points.
Taishin Japan Semiconductor (00951.TW) followed the move, closing at TWD 19.09, up 5.47% from the previous day, with fund assets expanding to approximately ¥22.0 billion. The top holdings include Kioxia, Tokyo Electron and Advantest.
The market structure shows signs of concentration, with the Nikkei 225’s rise focused on major semiconductor stocks. Some large-cap stocks were weak, and defensive stocks moved sluggishly. The yen’s weakening trend supported export-related stocks, while expectations of a Bank of Japan rate hike also weighed on the market.