Japan‘s Nikkei share average shot to a record high on Thursday as financial markets reopened after holidays, catching up with optimism over strong technology earnings and signs of a potential peace deal in the Middle East. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index rose 3.38 per cent to an all-time high of 61,523.36 in early trading. The broader Topix climbed 2.02 per cent to 3,803.95.
Japan’s markets are also responding to a stronger yen since the last trading day on Friday, following bouts of suspected intervention by Tokyo to bolster the currency.
Wall Street indexes hit record highs overnight as positive results from Advanced Micro Devices propelled euphoria over the red-hot artificial intelligence sector. Iran said it is reviewing a U.S. proposal to end the more than two-month war, while President Donald Trump said the U.S. has had very good talks with Tehran.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi next week to discuss curbing speculative yen selling, among other issues, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday, citing Japan-U.S. diplomatic sources.
Bessent will visit Japan for three days starting Monday and will also meet other senior officials, the report said.
The yen surged suddenly on Wednesday, sparking speculation of further intervention by Tokyo. The currency climbed from around 157.8 to the dollar to 155 in a half hour of holiday-thinned trade in the Asian session.
Last month, Japan and the U.S. had agreed to strengthen communication on exchange rates. Bessent had repeatedly signalled that the yen’s weakness could be better addressed through faster rate hikes by the Bank of Japan.
Bessent will speak individually on Tuesday with Takaichi, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda, Nikkei reported, citing officials from both countries.
Beyond currency issues, the agenda will also cover economic security matters such as rare earths and energy procurement, and potentially the war in Iran, it reported.
