Tokyo Stocks Rise as AI and Chip Shares Lead After Silver Week Break
The Tokyo stock market rose on September 24, with the Nikkei 225 increasing to 65,647, up 628 points. This marked the first full cash trading day since September 18, when the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to 1.25%. Investors had been away for the Silver Week break and returned with a renewed appetite for artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares.
The broader TOPIX, however, was weaker than the Nikkei, slipping to around 4,084. The contrast showed that the day's rally was driven mainly by high-priced Nikkei components and semiconductor-related shares, rather than a broad advance across the Tokyo market.
Advantest and Tokyo Electron were the main drivers of the Nikkei, with their shares alone accounting for a large share of the index's gain. Advantest benefits from demand for advanced chip testing, while Tokyo Electron is central to Japan's role in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.