Nikkei, Topix, CSI 300: KI-Boom in Tokio trotzt Zinsängsten – Asien-Börsen uneinheitlich

As of Thursday, the Asian stock markets faced conflicting directions due to geopolitical tensions and a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investments. Japan's Tokyo Stock Exchange showed a steady uptrend. Meanwhile, China's markets declined. The Nikkei Index, which comprises 225 companies, rose by 1.3% to 65,883 points. The broader Topix index increased by 0.1% to 4,096.

Shanghai's index dropped by 0.6% to 3,912 points. The CSI 300 Index, measuring the performance of China's 300 largest mainland companies, fell by 0.9% to 4,475 points.

Tokyo's excitement was fueled by Meta's unveiling of a new AI device, the "Meta Charm." This gadget boosted demand for computer components. Major gainers included semiconductor suppliers like Ibiden, Socionext, Meiko Electronic, and Ushio, with their stocks surging more than ten percent. Advantest, a chip manufacturing equipment company, also contributed to the Nikkei's gains with a four percent increase.

Japanese government bonds, particularly those with a ten-year maturity, surged in tandem with US markets, reaching a high of 3.06 percent, the highest since August 1996. This upward trend put pressure on banking stocks, which were among the losers, with Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui, and Mizuho each falling between 1.1 and 2.0 percent.

At the political level, a deal between the US and China to extend the trade truce provided a positive outlook. However, Honda's plans to invest up to 2.53 billion dollars in a new hybrid vehicle plant in the US made headlines and stirred controversy.