Nikkei 225 Hits Record Close Up 0.59% on US Rate Hike Easing

Nikkei 225 closes at record 68,713.80, up 0.59%, driven by weak US PPI data easing Fed rate hike fears. TOPIX also hits all-time high amid risk-on sentiment.

Woofun AI reports that the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.59% to close at a record high of 68,713.80 points, marking a 4.7% weekly gain. The broader TOPIX index increased 0.51% to 4,197.20 points, also reaching a new historical peak. This upward movement followed overnight gains in U.S. markets, where unchanged July PPI data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain interest rates next month. Nomura strategist Wataru Akiyama stated, "It's evident that the rise in U.S. stock prices is affecting the Japanese market." Within the Nikkei 225, Nexon led with a 19.85% surge, followed by Shift at 7.57% and Nintendo at 6.91%.