Japanese Stocks Surge as SoftBank Jumps 20%

2026-05-21 06:57 By Jam Kaimo Samonte 1 min. read

The Nikkei 5225 Index rallied 3.14% to close at 61,684 while the broader Topix Index gained 1.64% to 3,854 on Thursday, as Japanese equities rebounded from earlier weekly losses amid renewed optimism surrounding artificial intelligence-related demand.

Strong earnings from Nidia boosted sentiment across global technology markets, while news that Samsung Electronics had averted a potential labor strike further supported semiconductor-linked shares.

In Japan, SoftBank Group led the rally, soaring nearly 20% following reports that OpenAI is preparing for a public listing.

Other technology-related stocks also posted strong gains, including Kioxia Holdings (7.9%), Fujikura (4.8%), Advantest (4.4%), Ibiden (14.3%) and Tokyo Electron (5.9%).

On the geopolitical front, President Donald Trump said the US was in the final stages of negotiations with Iran, fueling hopes that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen.



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Japanese Stocks Surge as SoftBank Jumps 20%
The Nikkei 5225 Index rallied 3.14% to close at 61,684 while the broader Topix Index gained 1.64% to 3,854 on Thursday, as Japanese equities rebounded from earlier weekly losses amid renewed optimism surrounding artificial intelligence-related demand. Strong earnings from Nidia boosted sentiment across global technology markets, while news that Samsung Electronics had averted a potential labor strike further supported semiconductor-linked shares. In Japan, SoftBank Group led the rally, soaring nearly 20% following reports that OpenAI is preparing for a public listing. Other technology-related stocks also posted strong gains, including Kioxia Holdings (7.9%), Fujikura (4.8%), Advantest (4.4%), Ibiden (14.3%) and Tokyo Electron (5.9%). On the geopolitical front, President Donald Trump said the US was in the final stages of negotiations with Iran, fueling hopes that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen.
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The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 3% to above 61,600 while the broader Topix Index gained 1.6% to 3,850 on Thursday, recovering losses from earlier in the week and tracking gains on Wall Street overnight amid hopes for an imminent peace deal between the US and Iran. President Trump said the US was in the final stages of negotiations with Iran, fueling hopes that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen. The prospect of resumed shipping traffic triggered a sharp decline in oil prices, easing pressure on Japan’s import-dependent economy. On the domestic front, data showed Japanese exports rose 14.8% in April, surpassing expectations on the back of solid demand from China, the US, ASEAN nations and the EU. Financial and technology shares spearheaded the rally, with gains from Mitsubishi UFJ (3.6%), Sumitomo Mitsui (4.2%), Mizuho Financial (4.7%), Advantest (4.1%) and Tokyo Electron (5%). SoftBank Group also soared over 16% as strong results from Nvidia boosted AI optimism.
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