economy
February 26, 2026
Japan's Nikkei 225 crosses 59,000 for the first time as central bank board picks fuel 'Takaichi trade'
Asia-Pacific markets were poised to open higher on Thursday, tracking Wall Street gains as strong earnings from Nvidia and Oracle lifted investor sentiment.

TL;DR
- Japan's Nikkei 225 hit a record high of 59,000, extending its winning streak.
- The 'Takaichi trade' is driving Japanese equities, based on bets of growth-oriented policies and a weaker yen.
- Ayano Sato and Toichiro Asada, with dovish stances, were appointed as central bank board members in Japan.
- South Korea's Bank of Korea raised its key interest rate by 0.25% to control inflation.
- Asian tech stocks, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, rallied following strong results from U.S. companies like Nvidia.
- Nvidia's fourth-quarter results surpassed expectations, driven by its data center segment.
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