Japan’s Nikkei index hit a new record high, surpassing the 58,000-point mark for the first time during trading on Thursday, February 12, driven by a surge in government bonds and the yen, as markets reacted to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s election victory.
As trading resumed after a holiday in Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index climbed to a daily high of 58,015.08 points, before paring some of its gains to close at 57,639.84 points.
Strong gains since the beginning of 2026
The index has performed remarkably well since the beginning of the year, rising by about 15% in 2026 so far.
In contrast, the broader Topix index rose 0.7% to 3882.16 points.
These gains come as corporate earnings season kicks off in the world’s fourth-largest economy, amid expectations that a decisive victory for Takeachi’s Liberal Democratic Party will give the government greater power to pass spending plans and tax cuts.
The yen is rising, with bonds leading the gains.
Japanese government bonds saw a rise led by long-term notes, while the yen touched a two-week high of 152.28 to the dollar.
On the stock market front, 142 stocks within the Nikkei constituents rose, while 82 stocks declined.
The biggest gainer was Shiseido, whose shares jumped 15.8% — the biggest daily gain since October 2008 — after the company forecast its first profit in three years.
In contrast, Honda Motor shares were among the biggest losers, falling 3.5% after announcing results below expectations.
