Japan's Nikkei hits 60,000 for the first time

On Thursday, Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average briefly surpassed 60,000 for the first time, marking a record high, driven by gains in artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks.

The index rose as high as 60,013 during morning trading, MarketWatch reported. But analysts said the rally was concentrated in a small group of high-priced technology shares, leaving the broader market less buoyant, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Nikkei 225 is calculated as a price-weighted average of 225 stocks, meaning companies with higher share prices have a larger effect on the index. SoftBank Group, Advantest and Tokyo Electron were among the AI and semiconductor-related stocks that helped push the benchmark higher.

Foreign investors have focused on semiconductor-related companies because they are closely tied to the AI supply chain and offer clearer near-term earnings visibility, analysts said.

JPMorgan Chase reflected that optimism by raising its year-end Nikkei target to 70,000 from 61,000, citing the AI boom and a weaker yen, Reuters reported.

Still, the broader market has not risen at the same pace. The Topix index and the Yomiuri 333, an equal-weighted index, have not recovered to their late February highs. That suggests the latest rally is being driven more by large technology stocks than by broad-based market strength.

The Nikkei later gave up gains as investors took profits after the record intraday high. Some strategists said the rapid rise has raised concerns about overheating and could lead to a short-term correction.

Whether the rally can continue may depend on whether buying spreads beyond semiconductors to domestic demand, financial and manufacturing shares. If gains remain concentrated in a few high-priced stocks, the Nikkei could rise further while many investors and consumers feel little improvement in the broader economy.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli