TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average rose 2 percent on Monday to its highest close in nearly four weeks, led by AI and chip-linked stocks after Wall Street’s rally on Friday, though worries over the Middle East kept a lid on broader gains.
The Nikkei climbed 2.08 percent to 66,970.22, its highest close since July 15. The broader Topix rose 0.63 percent to 4,100.61.
In Japan, chip-related Advantest and Tokyo Electron rose 6.43 percent and 4.13 percent, respectively.
Fujikura climbed 7.62 percent, extending a sharp rally after the fibre-optic cable maker raised its annual net profit forecast on Friday.
Ibiden, a supplier to AI bellwether Nvidia, rose 4.03 percent. Recruit Holdings jumped 22.79 percent to a daily limit high of 16,165 after the staffing agency’s revised annual forecasts beat market expectations.
Uniqlo-brand owner Fast Retailing fell 0.74 percent.
Mitsui Kinzoku, a maker of materials for lithium-ion batteries, tumbled 13.55 percent after its revised annual net profit forecast failed to meet market expectations.