The Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.7% to above 53,600 while the broader Topix Index climbed 2.3% to 3,642 on Wednesday, marking a second straight session of gains as optimism for an end to the prolonged Middle East conflict strengthened on reports that the US was pursuing talks with Iran. Israeli media indicated that Washington was seeking a one-month ceasefire to facilitate negotiations, while the New York Times reported that the US had sent Iran a 15-point proposal to resolve the conflict. Oil prices declined following these developments, offering relief to import-dependent economies like Japan and lifting overall market sentiment. Technology and AI-related stocks led the advance, with notable gains from Kioxia Holdings (3%), Fujikura (5.2%), SoftBank Group (4.6%), Advantest (2.4%), and Tokyo Electron (2.2%).
