Nikkei Hits All-Time High!
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.8% to around 66,900 on Monday, setting a new record high. The gains were led by technology stocks, which continued to rally as market enthusiasm for the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven rally persisted.
The market views Japanese issuers as being positioned to benefit from the global expansion of AI infrastructure, boosting interest in stocks related to the technology supply chain. Among the main movers, Kioxia Holdings surged 8.3%, followed by SoftBank Group (up 4.9%), Furukawa Electric (3.1%), Tokyo Electron (2.7%), and Sumitomo Electric (2.2%).
Data-wise, Japanese capital expenditure in the first quarter was stagnant compared to the same period last year. This figure points to a slowdown in corporate investment activity, which is a concern because capital expenditure is often used as an indicator of business confidence and the prospect of capacity expansion.
Beyond domestic factors, investors are also monitoring geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Negotiations between the US and Iran to reach a permanent ceasefire still face significant challenges, so the risk of a sentiment shock remains, even though the global technology rally is a dominant theme in the stock market. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
