The Nikkei 225 Index Closes 0.46% Higher

The Nikkei 225 Index gained 268 points or 0.46 percent on Wednesday to close at 58146 points. Gains were led by Taiyo Yuden (10.89%), Sumitomo Dainippon (8.16%) and Z Holdings (5.80%). Biggest losers were Mitsui Mining & Smelting (-6.90%), Japan Steel Works (-6.80%) and Furukawa Electric (-5.33%).

The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.44% to close at 58,134, while the broader Topix Index added 0.4% to 3,770 on Wednesday, with the former pushing toward record levels seen before the Middle East conflict began amid hopes for a diplomatic solution to the war. The US and Iran are reportedly preparing for a second round of peace talks in the coming days as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz deepen the global energy crisis. Oil prices retreated sharply, easing concerns over inflation and potential central bank tightening. Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan is reportedly considering lifting its inflation forecast at this month’s policy meeting to reflect higher energy costs, though it is still expected to keep rates unchanged. Notable gains were seen from index heavyweights including SoftBank Group (4.8%), Advantet (2.2%), Mitsubishi UFJ (2.2%), Hitachi (5.3%) and Shin-Etsu Chemical (1.7%).

The Nikkei 225 Index went up by 1313 points or 2.32 percent on Tuesday to close at 57816 points. The rise was led by Softbank (11.64%), Advantest (8.74%) and Renesas Electron (7.23%).