TOKYO, April 16, 2026, 19:32 JST
Tokyo shares ripped higher Thursday, with the Nikkei 225 notching a fresh record finish at 59,518.34, a jump of 2.38%. The Topix index also advanced, gaining 1.17% to end at 3,814.46. This marks the Nikkei’s first all-time closing high since Feb. 27—just before the Middle East turmoil rattled global risk assets.
This development stands out, given Japan took a hit when oil prices surged and investors pulled back on risk right after the war started in late February. On Thursday, with crude prices easing off their recent peaks and capital flowing back into growth stocks—especially after the Nasdaq notched a fresh closing record overnight—Japanese shares moved higher.
Tech names carried the load. According to Nikkei’s daily summary, technology alone accounted for 1,039.88 points of the 1,384.10-point advance. The Nikkei Semiconductor Stock Index jumped 3.17%. Total trading value hit 7.05 trillion yen.
Chip stocks caught fresh momentum after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. hiked its full-year revenue outlook and ramped up capital spending, aiming to keep up with surging AI chip orders. “Demand remained extremely robust,” CEO C.C. Wei said. Reuters
“Value-driven buying” is getting a boost from cheaper crude, according to Hiroshi Watanabe, senior economist at Sony Financial Group, who said Japanese shares are now more appealing. Watanabe also pointed to the SOX index—a key U.S. chip-stock benchmark—as another factor likely to keep propping up Tokyo. The Economic Times
Advancers led decliners on the Nikkei, 159 to 64. Daikin Industries surged after Elliott Investment Management revealed its stake and pushed the company to lift margins, boost shareholder returns and reassess non-core assets.
Currency moves refused to fade from view. Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tokyo and Washington would step up their talks on FX as the yen lingered around 160 per dollar—a level that’s kept intervention chatter alive. Meanwhile, a Reuters poll found 65% of economists looking for the Bank of Japan’s policy rate to hit 1.00% by end-June.
The rally, though, is on shaky ground. Reuters said Thursday there’s still no finalized Iran peace deal. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank economist Junki Iwahashi noted the BOJ might “want a little more time” if a fresh crude jump stokes inflation but drags on growth before its April 27-28 meeting. Reuters
Still, traders brushed off the risk for the moment. Standard Chartered’s Manpreet Gill dubbed the rebound a “perfect V-shaped recovery.” Markets have started to price in a resolution, according to ANZ’s Khoon Goh. Reuters
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