FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Climb on Tech Strength

The Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.2% to climb above 71,600, while the broader Topix Index advanced 1.2% to 4,042 on Wednesday, marking a third consecutive session of gains. Japanese equities followed a technology-led rally on Wall Street overnight, with chipmakers and AI-related names driving the upswing as the recent selloff in the tech sector continued to recede.

Notable performers included Kioxia Holdings (up 2.4%), Tokyo Electron (4.9%), Taiyo Yuden (11.1%), SoftBank Group (4.6%) and Advantest (4.9%).

On the macroeconomic front, business confidence among Japan’s large manufacturers rose to its highest level since 2018, underscoring the economy’s resilience despite the energy shock stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, investors kept a close watch on ongoing US–Iran peace talks in Qatar, looking for signs of progress toward a lasting ceasefire agreement.