20.04.202606:52:47UTC+00Japanese Shares Rise on AI-Driven Gains

The Nikkei 225 Index advanced 0.6% to close at 58,825, while the broader Topix Index added 0.43% to finish at 3,777 on Monday, partially clawing back losses from the previous session. Renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence–related stocks offset worries about escalating tensions between the US and Iran.

The US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, and Tehran subsequently reversed plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and announced it would not participate in a second round of negotiations. Persistent disruptions in this key shipping corridor have unleashed a sharp energy supply shock, amplifying inflationary pressures and posing a threat to global growth, with oil-importing economies such as Japan especially exposed.

Even so, AI-driven optimism and solid corporate earnings underpinned Japanese equities, with notable gains from SoftBank Group (up 5.5%), Lasertec (up 5.4%), and Unitika (up 21.4%).