Japanese Shares Jump on Peace Hopes

2026-03-25 00:31 By Jam Kaimo Samonte 1 min. read

The Nikkei 225 Index rallied 2.87% to close at 53,750 while the broader Topix Index climbed 2.57% to 3,651 on Wednesday, marking a second straight session of gains as optimism for an end to the prolonged Middle East conflict strengthened on reports that the US was pursuing talks with Iran.

Israeli media indicated that Washington was seeking a one-month ceasefire to facilitate negotiations, while the New York Times reported that the US had sent Iran a 15-point proposal to resolve the conflict.

Oil prices declined following these developments, offering relief to import-dependent economies like Japan and lifting overall market sentiment.

Technology and AI-related stocks led the advance, with notable gains from Kioxia Holdings (6.4%), Fujikura (7.2%), SoftBank Group (7.9%), Advantest (4.8%), and Tokyo Electron (3.1%).

Heavyweight banks, carmakers and defense stocks also posted strong performances.



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