Japanese stocks surged to a new high on Wednesday, with the Nikkei 225 rising 2.08% at the close of trading. The gains were propelled by the technology and healthcare sectors, with Kyocera AG, Olympus, and Daiichi Sankyo among the top performers of the session.
Kyocera AG shares rose 6.09% to reach 2,132.50, while Olympus and Daiichi Sankyo both saw gains of over 5%. On the other hand, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Fujitsu, and Rakuten were among the worst performers of the session, with shares falling by more than 1.5%.
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, 2,069 stocks rose, outnumbering the 1,576 stocks that closed lower. Implied volatility, a measure of Nikkei 225 options, also rose by 4.01% to 19.20.
In the commodities market, the price of the February options contract on WTI crude oil futures rose to $72.64, while London Brent crude oil futures and February gold futures saw modest fluctuations.
The currency market also saw some movement, with USD/JPY rising 0.26% to 144.85 and EUR/JPY rising 0.25% to 158.33. U.S. dollar index futures, however, remained unchanged at 102.29.
Overall, the surge in Japanese stocks reflected positive sentiment in the market, driven by strong performances in key sectors.