Nikkei 225 — daily market movers
Macro backdrop
The Nikkei 225 rose +0.76% in its first full session after the Silver Week holidays. During the three-day Tokyo break US semiconductors surged more than 8%, powering the heavily weighted chip names (SoftBank Group, Advantest, Tokyo Electron, Kioxia) and lifting the index even as the broader TOPIX fell — a narrow, AI/semiconductor-led rally. Elevated yields were the counterweight: after the BOJ's September 18 rate hike to a 31-year high, the 10-year JGB yield sat near 3%, pressuring rate-sensitive utilities and other defensive shares.
Top 10 gainers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6526.T | Socionext Designs custom SoC and ASIC semiconductors for computing and networking | +15.00% | Custom-SoC designer surged near limit-up as Tokyo's chip complex tracked the >8% US semiconductor rally during the Silver Week break; part of the broad AI/semiconductor leadership rather than a standalone catalyst. |
| 2 | 4062.T | Ibiden Makes IC package substrates and ceramics for semiconductors | +14.57% | AI chip-package substrate leader rallied on the same US semiconductor surge that lifted Advantest, Tokyo Electron and Kioxia; a key beneficiary of AI data-center packaging demand. |
| 3 | 4004.T | Resonac Holdings Chemicals and semiconductor-materials maker (formerly Showa Denko) | +6.94% | Semiconductor-materials maker rose with the broader chip supply chain; sector strength rather than a standalone catalyst on the day. |
| 4 | 5301.T | Tokai Carbon Produces graphite electrodes, carbon black and semiconductor-grade carbon | +6.84% | Graphite-electrode and semiconductor-grade carbon supplier climbed as the chip rally spilled into materials names. |
| 5 | 7731.T | Nikon Makes cameras and semiconductor lithography and precision equipment | +6.44% | Lithography and precision-equipment maker gained alongside the semiconductor-equipment group tracking US chip strength. |
| 6 | 5802.T | Sumitomo Electric Industries Manufactures electric wire, cables, optical fiber and auto parts | +5.77% | Optical-fiber and cable maker advanced on AI data-center and semiconductor-linked demand within the tech rally. |
| 7 | 7911.T | TOPPAN Holdings Printing, packaging and electronics including semiconductor photomasks | +5.62% | Rose on its semiconductor packaging and photomask exposure as the chip theme dominated the session. |
| 8 | 6723.T | Renesas Electronics Makes microcontrollers and automotive and industrial semiconductors | +5.47% | Automotive/industrial chip maker led with the semiconductor sector on the US-driven AI rally. |
| 9 | 6752.T | Panasonic Holdings Diversified electronics, batteries and industrial products maker | +5.16% | Electronics and battery maker rose with the broad technology rebound; no standalone catalyst identified. |
| 10 | 6479.T | Minebea Mitsumi Makes miniature ball bearings and electronic components | +4.37% | Miniature-bearing and electronic-component maker tracked the semiconductor supply-chain gains. |
- 1. 6526.T+15.00%SocionextDesigns custom SoC and ASIC semiconductors for computing and networkingCustom-SoC designer surged near limit-up as Tokyo's chip complex tracked the >8% US semiconductor rally during the Silver Week break; part of the broad AI/semiconductor leadership rather than a standalone catalyst.
- 2. 4062.T+14.57%IbidenMakes IC package substrates and ceramics for semiconductorsAI chip-package substrate leader rallied on the same US semiconductor surge that lifted Advantest, Tokyo Electron and Kioxia; a key beneficiary of AI data-center packaging demand.
- 3. 4004.T+6.94%Resonac HoldingsChemicals and semiconductor-materials maker (formerly Showa Denko)Semiconductor-materials maker rose with the broader chip supply chain; sector strength rather than a standalone catalyst on the day.
- 4. 5301.T+6.84%Tokai CarbonProduces graphite electrodes, carbon black and semiconductor-grade carbonGraphite-electrode and semiconductor-grade carbon supplier climbed as the chip rally spilled into materials names.
- 5. 7731.T+6.44%NikonMakes cameras and semiconductor lithography and precision equipmentLithography and precision-equipment maker gained alongside the semiconductor-equipment group tracking US chip strength.
- 6. 5802.T+5.77%Sumitomo Electric IndustriesManufactures electric wire, cables, optical fiber and auto partsOptical-fiber and cable maker advanced on AI data-center and semiconductor-linked demand within the tech rally.
- 7. 7911.T+5.62%TOPPAN HoldingsPrinting, packaging and electronics including semiconductor photomasksRose on its semiconductor packaging and photomask exposure as the chip theme dominated the session.
- 8. 6723.T+5.47%Renesas ElectronicsMakes microcontrollers and automotive and industrial semiconductorsAutomotive/industrial chip maker led with the semiconductor sector on the US-driven AI rally.
- 9. 6752.T+5.16%Panasonic HoldingsDiversified electronics, batteries and industrial products makerElectronics and battery maker rose with the broad technology rebound; no standalone catalyst identified.
- 10. 6479.T+4.37%Minebea MitsumiMakes miniature ball bearings and electronic componentsMiniature-bearing and electronic-component maker tracked the semiconductor supply-chain gains.
Common Themes
Nearly all ten gainers belong to the semiconductor/AI supply chain — Socionext, Ibiden, Renesas, Resonac, Tokai Carbon and Nikon among them. The common driver was an over-8% US semiconductor rally during Japan's three-day break, led back home by heavyweight chip names such as Advantest, Tokyo Electron and SoftBank, which pulled the whole chip supply chain higher. It was a narrow, theme-driven advance (Nikkei up, TOPIX down) rather than broad participation.
Top 10 losers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6098.T | Recruit Holdings Runs HR-tech and staffing services including Indeed and Glassdoor | -7.78% | HR-tech/staffing leader fell sharply as money rotated out of software/services and growth names into chip stocks; among the day's notable service-sector decliners with no confirmed standalone catalyst. |
| 2 | 9503.T | Kansai Electric Power Electric utility serving western Japan | -4.82% | Utility pressured by elevated JGB yields after the BOJ's Sept 18 hike, as rate-sensitive bond-proxy defensives were sold. |
| 3 | 8725.T | MS&AD Insurance Group Property-and-casualty insurance holding group | -4.73% | Insurer fell amid rotation out of value and financial names into semiconductors. |
| 4 | 6976.T | Taiyo Yuden Makes multilayer ceramic capacitors and electronic components | -4.69% | Capacitor/component maker bucked its rising electronic-component peers and fell with no clear standalone catalyst; likely profit-taking. |
| 5 | 1721.T | Comsys Holdings Telecom and infrastructure engineering and construction firm | -4.69% | Telecom-infrastructure engineering firm weakened as defensive domestic-demand names lagged the chip rally. |
| 6 | 9532.T | Osaka Gas City-gas utility supplying western Japan | -4.45% | Gas utility hit by the yield spike weighing on rate-sensitive bond-proxy shares. |
| 7 | 9501.T | Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) Electric utility serving the Tokyo metropolitan region | -4.42% | Electric utility pressured as rising JGB yields hurt defensive/yield-sensitive stocks. |
| 8 | 4385.T | Mercari Operates a consumer-to-consumer online marketplace app | -3.92% | C2C marketplace fell with the rotation out of domestic growth names. |
| 9 | 8001.T | Itochu General trading house (sogo shosha) spanning many industries | -3.73% | Trading house sold off as value names rotated out; named among the session's trading-house decliners alongside Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsui. |
| 10 | 6532.T | Baycurrent Management and IT consulting services firm | -3.29% | Consulting/services firm retreated in the growth/services pullback. |
- 1. 6098.T-7.78%Recruit HoldingsRuns HR-tech and staffing services including Indeed and GlassdoorHR-tech/staffing leader fell sharply as money rotated out of software/services and growth names into chip stocks; among the day's notable service-sector decliners with no confirmed standalone catalyst.
- 2. 9503.T-4.82%Kansai Electric PowerElectric utility serving western JapanUtility pressured by elevated JGB yields after the BOJ's Sept 18 hike, as rate-sensitive bond-proxy defensives were sold.
- 3. 8725.T-4.73%MS&AD Insurance GroupProperty-and-casualty insurance holding groupInsurer fell amid rotation out of value and financial names into semiconductors.
- 4. 6976.T-4.69%Taiyo YudenMakes multilayer ceramic capacitors and electronic componentsCapacitor/component maker bucked its rising electronic-component peers and fell with no clear standalone catalyst; likely profit-taking.
- 5. 1721.T-4.69%Comsys HoldingsTelecom and infrastructure engineering and construction firmTelecom-infrastructure engineering firm weakened as defensive domestic-demand names lagged the chip rally.
- 6. 9532.T-4.45%Osaka GasCity-gas utility supplying western JapanGas utility hit by the yield spike weighing on rate-sensitive bond-proxy shares.
- 7. 9501.T-4.42%Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO)Electric utility serving the Tokyo metropolitan regionElectric utility pressured as rising JGB yields hurt defensive/yield-sensitive stocks.
- 8. 4385.T-3.92%MercariOperates a consumer-to-consumer online marketplace appC2C marketplace fell with the rotation out of domestic growth names.
- 9. 8001.T-3.73%ItochuGeneral trading house (sogo shosha) spanning many industriesTrading house sold off as value names rotated out; named among the session's trading-house decliners alongside Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsui.
- 10. 6532.T-3.29%BaycurrentManagement and IT consulting services firmConsulting/services firm retreated in the growth/services pullback.
Common Themes
The losers cluster in rate-sensitive utilities (Kansai Electric, Osaka Gas, TEPCO), insurance (MS&AD), a trading house (Itochu) and domestic growth/services names (Recruit, Mercari, Baycurrent). With JGB yields elevated after the BOJ's hike, bond-proxy defensives were sold, while money rotated out of value and domestic-growth names into the high-weight chip stocks. Taiyo Yuden was the odd one out, falling against its rising electronic-component peers with no clear standalone catalyst.
Overall read
Money rotated out of rate-sensitive defensives, financials and domestic-growth/services names and into heavily weighted AI/semiconductor stocks. The Nikkei rose while the TOPIX fell, underscoring that this was a narrow, theme-driven session rather than a broad market advance.