Japan's Nikkei 225 surges past 68,000 amid AI‑fueled market rally

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index broke the 68,000 mark for the first time, climbing to 68,172.89 and up 2.2% as AI‑related technology shares drove a broad market surge. Leading chip‑equipment makers Tokyo Electron gained 10.1% and Advantest rose 4.6%, while other Asian markets showed mixed moves.

In the United States, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq all set record highs, boosted by strong earnings from companies such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which jumped 19.5% after an earnings beat, and Marvell Technology, which leapt 32.5% on optimism about its AI potential. Nvidia’s market value topped $5 trillion, and Alphabet announced an $80 billion cash raise to fund AI‑related investments.

Oil prices continued to climb, with Brent and U.S. crude each adding about $1 per barrel, while the dollar briefly rose above ¥160 before easing. Analysts noted that the rally reflects ongoing demand for AI infrastructure and a resilient U.S. labor market, though some warned of a possible slowdown after a long winning streak for the S&P 500.