Japan Market Daily | Kabutaro & Friends

On July 15, 2026, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 extended its gains, closing up 1,008.01 points (+1.49%) at 68,751.51. The rally was driven by AI and semiconductor stocks after the previous day's earnings from IBM and ASML lifted their US counterparts. The US June Consumer Price Index came in below forecasts, with headline inflation at +3.5% year-on-year and core inflation at +2.6%, confirming a slowdown. USD/JPY briefly fell to around 161.60 following the data but recovered to the low-162 range after Fed Chair Warsh's hawkish congressional testimony and rising oil prices. Oil (WTI) rose to $79.75 per barrel (+2.06%), while gold climbed to $4,060.80 per ounce (+1.38%).