Nikkei Closes Above 68,000 for First Time
2026-06-03 06:56
By
Kyrie Dichosa
1 min. read
The Nikkei 225 Index jumped more than 2% to close above the 68,000 mark for the first time on Wednesday, setting a fresh record as a continued rally in technology stocks lifted the market.
Optimism surrounding artificial intelligence-related opportunities outweighed concerns over the lack of progress in US–Iran peace negotiations.
Japanese firms continue to play a significant role in the expansion of AI infrastructure worldwide, positioning them to benefit from the sector’s rapid growth.
Leading gains in the technology sector were chipmaking equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron and semiconductor testing equipment maker Advantest, which surged 13.4% and 5.1%, respectively.
Other top performers included Kioxia Holdings (+0.7%), Fujikura (+9.3%), and Furukawa Electric (+4.3%).
Meanwhile, investors continued to monitor US–Iran talks, with mixed signals from both sides keeping geopolitical uncertainty elevated.