The Nikkei 225 Index Closes 0.25% Lower

The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.2% to close at 66,132 while the broader Topix Index rose 0.15% to 4,117 on Thursday, with Japanese shares lacking clear direction amid mixed performances across major technology stocks. Investors also responded to Nvidia’s strong sales outlook, which offered fresh evidence that spending on AI infrastructure is likely to remain resilient. Japanese technology companies are deeply involved in the global AI infrastructure buildout, which has been a key driver of the country’s equity rally over the past year. Notably, Nvidia supplier Advantest dropped 3.1%, underperforming the broader technology sector. Meanwhile, Kioxia Holdings surged 5% following reports that it is building a new chipmaking plant in northern Japan, expanding production capacity to meet rising AI-related demand for storage.

The Nikkei 225 Index decreased 163 points or 0.25 percent on Thursday to close at 66099 points. The decline was led by Advantest (-3.33%), Yamaha Motor (-2.94%) and Takara (-2.72%). On the upside, the strongest performers were Furukawa Electric (4.51%), Mitsubishi Chem (3.58%) and Fujikura (3.37%).

The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3% to above 66,400 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.25% to 4,121 on Thursday, extending gains for a third straight session as Nvidia’s strong sales outlook provided fresh evidence that spending on AI infrastructure is likely to remain resilient. Japanese technology companies are deeply involved in the global AI infrastructure buildout, which has been a key driver of the country’s equity rally over the past year. Meanwhile, data released Wednesday showed US PCE prices rose more than expected in July and remained well above the Federal Reserve’s target, reinforcing hawkish expectations for US interest rates. Tech and AI-linked stocks led the gains, with notable advances from Kioxia Holdings (5%), Fujikura (2.6%), Ibiden Co (2.3%), Murata Manufacturing (2.6%) and Tokyo Electron (1%).