Japanese equities delivered mixed performances as a sharply strengthening yen continued to weigh on the market, while the Nikkei 225 Index edged up slightly. Export-oriented stocks faced losses, while technology shares advanced, supported by gains in US megacaps. Corporate news also influenced market movement.
- The Nikkei 225 Index increased by 0.05%, closing at 53,359.
- The Topix Index fell 0.79% to 3,535.
- The yen gained about 4% over the past three sessions, impacting the market.
- Export-oriented stocks such as Toyota Motor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Sony Group experienced losses.
- Technology shares advanced, influenced by gains in US megacaps.
- SoftBank Group shares jumped 3.7% following news of potential additional investment in OpenAI.
The subtle increase in the Nikkei 225 suggests resilience despite headwinds from a strengthening yen, which negatively impacted export-heavy companies. Gains in technology stocks and positive corporate developments in other sectors helped offset some of these losses, resulting in a mixed trading day. This indicates a market navigating competing pressures and highlights the importance of both currency movements and sector-specific news.