Japanese Shares Gain for Second Session
2026-07-15 00:46
By
Jam Kaimo Samonte
1 min. read
The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.9% to above 68,300, while the broader Topix Index advanced 1% to 4,080 on Wednesday, extending gains from the previous session as Japanese equities tracked Wall Street higher after softer-than-expected US inflation data reduced expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike.
Investors also looked past escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East after President Donald Trump threatened additional strikes on Iran while reinstating a US blockade against Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz.
On the domestic front, data showed Japan’s machinery orders fell more than expected in May, reflecting broad-based weakness in business investment.
Technology and AI-related stocks led the advance, with Kioxia Holdings surging 6.7%, Advantest rising 4.4%, Tokyo Electron gaining 1.6%, Taiyo Yuden adding 5.7%, and Lasertec jumping 6.9%.