TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average ended higher on Thursday, as chip-related stocks tracked US peers higher overnight, though prospects for an early rate hike from the Bank of Japan limited gains.
The Nikkei rose 0.46 percent to 66,422.6, while the broader Topix gained 0.51 percent to 4,053.88.
Overnight, the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index, a reference for the Nikkei, rose 0.4 percent. Alphabet said that it expects to spend between USD195 billion and USD205 billion in capital expenditures, compared with the earlier plan of USD180 billion to USD190 billion this year.
In Japan, AI and chip-related shares advanced, with Advantest jumping 4.11 percent. Technology investor SoftBank Group rose 3.77 percent.
Memory chip maker Kioxia reversed early gains to end 3.72 percent lower. Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron also erased gains to end 0.02 percent lower.