TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average surged to a record high on Tuesday, as markets played catch-up with Wall Street's recent two-day rally following a public holiday in the Asian nation earlier this week. Japanese investors, like global ​peers, mostly appeared undeterred by the U.S. Justice Department's criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Nikkei jumped as much as 3.6% to a record 53,814.79, and remained close to that level at 0053 GMT. The ‍head of ​coalition partner Ishin said he met with Takaichi on Friday ⁠and that she may call an early election. Investor sentiment was further ⁠lifted by a sharply weaker yen than when Tokyo last closed on Friday, as a softer currency increases the value of overseas earnings for Japan's export-heavy corporations.

Source: The Star January 13, 2026 07:40 UTC