Nikkei 225 Index rises, technology stocks boosted by optimistic profit outlook and gains in US stocks.

The prospects for profit improvement from Japanese and American technology companies are expected to drive up demand for concept stocks such as chip manufacturers and artificial intelligence. The Nikkei 225 index in Japan responded by rising, up 0.4% to 59973.86 points; while the TOPIX index in Japan fell by 0.4%, to 3701.82 points. Shoji Hirakawa, Chief Global Strategist at the East China Tokyo Information Research Institute, stated: "Supported by strong profit expectations, stocks related to artificial intelligence are expected to remain strong, and the Nikkei index may experience a slight uptrend. These assets are less affected by economic fluctuations and rising oil prices, and their valuations continue to remain high." In the U.S. market, the stock price of Intel reached a historic high, driving up the chip sector index for the 18th consecutive trading day last Friday. The stagnation of the Iran situation and talks, and the substantial blockade of the key shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, have limited the gains in global stock markets. Brent crude oil futures jumped as high as 2.5%, reaching $107.97 per barrel. Among the constituents of the TOPIX index, Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. saw the largest decrease, falling by 2.6%. Of the 1650 stocks in the index, 527 rose, 1002 fell, and 121 remained unchanged.