FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Scale Fresh Record Highs

The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 1.4% to surpass 72,200, while the broader Topix Index advanced 1% to 4,085 on Monday, with both benchmarks setting fresh record highs. Gains were driven largely by Japanese companies linked to the global artificial intelligence infrastructure boom, which continued to propel the market higher.

Equities rose despite an uptick in oil prices following heightened tensions on the first day of talks between the US and Iran. Investors were also awaiting the latest Japanese PMI figures for insights into economic conditions, as well as the Bank of Japan’s Summary of Opinions from its June meeting, where policymakers raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 1%.

On the corporate front, notable gainers included Furukawa Electric, which surged 8.7%; Murata Manufacturing, up 6.7%; JX Advanced Metals, which rose 8%; Ibiden, advancing 5.1%; and SoftBank Group, which added 1.1%.