TechFlow News, May 21: Driven by renewed investor enthusiasm for AI-related stocks and expectations of progress in Iran nuclear talks, Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index rose 3.14% to close at 61,684.14—the largest single-day gain since May 7—while the Topix Index climbed 1.64%. This followed NVIDIA’s upbeat sales forecast, which bolstered sentiment toward U.S. equities and tech stocks. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Iran nuclear negotiations have entered the “final stage,” prompting a sharp drop in oil prices and easing supply concerns. Additional positive catalysts included Samsung Electronics’ avoidance of a strike and OpenAI’s plans for an IPO.
As a result, SoftBank Group’s stock hit its daily trading limit. Akiyama Wataru, equity strategist at Nomura Securities, commented: “Markets are being led higher by AI- and semiconductor-related stocks, driven by developments such as Samsung Electronics avoiding a strike and NVIDIA’s earnings report.” “With falling crude oil prices, we’re seeing broad-based gains across multiple sectors.” (Jinshi)
