The Nikkei average opened higher for a second straight session. Buying in AI-related stocks led the market in the morning, while a report that preparations were under way to remove NVIDIA's CEO capped gains.
In morning trading in Tokyo, the Nikkei average opened at ¥61,475.11, up 0.37% from the previous day. The market was supported by buying of AI-related stocks in the U.S. market the previous day following CoreWeave's earnings announcement.
However, gains faded after the open, and the index briefly turned negative. A report that NVIDIA was preparing to remove CEO Jensen Huang spread through the market, sending the stock down more than 7% in after-hours trading and weighing on U.S. Nasdaq futures.
A number of domestic AI-related stocks that had risen in the morning subsequently weakened, weighing on the broader index. Among major stocks, Toyota Motor edged lower, Sony Group held firm, and Fast Retailing made a solid contribution.