TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei index soared above 60,000 points for the first time in early trade Thursday as tech shares attracted buyers, while South Korea’s Kospi also reached a new high.
The Nikkei climbed to 60,013.98 shortly after the open before easing back slightly, while South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index opened at a record 6,535 points.
Overnight gains on Wall Street encouraged investors, although the Nikkei index’s steady ascent has also fuelled concerns about possible overheating.
The Tokyo market was expected to stay buoyant in early trade, brokerage house Monex said.
“The Japanese market is expected to follow the US trend, opening with buying activity on the rise,” it said.
But the market was also monitoring US-Iran talks, after Iran vowed not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so long as a US naval blockade remained in place despite a ceasefire extension.
Oil prices jumped 4% on Thursday.