Japan Market Daily | Kabutaro & Friends

On June 17, 2026, the Nikkei 225 advanced for a fifth consecutive session, closing up 497.75 yen at a fresh historic high of 69,902.25 yen, marking its third consecutive record close. Buying intensified as investors welcomed the decline in crude oil futures following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement, briefly pushing the benchmark index to an intraday high of 70,125.75 yen to breach the 70,000 threshold for a second straight day. Despite a lower start, semiconductor shares like Lasertec surged on easing geopolitical risks to lead the market turnaround. In the FX market, the USD/JPY cross fluctuated between the high 159 range and near 161 yen. Meanwhile, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously voted to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 3.50 to 3.75 percent for a fourth consecutive meeting, while adopting a hawkish stance that strongly signaled potential rate hikes later this year.