Hey everyone, Hirokichi here. Today was Wednesday, the last trading day of September. Here’s the bottom line: the Nikkei 225 closed at 66,753.72, up 1,272.45 points from the previous day, a big rebound. The index had lost more than 800 points over the previous two days, and this time falling oil prices and buying in AI and chip-related stocks came together.
Today’s Market: The Nikkei 225 Rebounds 1,272 Points
Here are today’s main indexes.
This chart shows the Nikkei 225’s closing levels over the last five trading days. After sliding to 65,481 on September 29, the index jumped back to 66,754 today, showing how choppy the moves have been heading into month-end.
| Index | Close | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikkei 225 | 66,753.72 | +1,272.45 | +1.94% |
| TOPIX | 4,108.65 | +67.52 | +1.67% |
| TSE Growth 250 | Checking | Checking | Checking |
| USD/JPY | Checking | Checking | Checking |
The Nikkei rose more than TOPIX (the broader market index). That tells me the gains were led by high-priced AI and chip-related stocks, which carry a lot of weight in the Nikkei. Reliable closing figures for the Growth 250 (the index of newer, smaller companies) and USD/JPY were not yet available at the time of writing in the 4 p.m. hour. I won’t guess, so those cells say “Checking.”
Trading volume was about 2.76 billion shares and trading value was 9.12 trillion yen. Advancing stocks made up 72.7% of the market and decliners 23.7%, so this was a broad-based rally (sources: Daily Sports, Zaikei).
The index was up by more than 1,000 points at one stage after the open, and the morning session ended up 837.54 points at 66,318.81. It widened the gain in the afternoon.
Why It Moved: What Drove the Market
In my view, three things supported today’s rebound.
(1) Falling oil and easing Middle East worries. News that Saudi Arabia’s main pipeline was half restored pushed NY crude futures below $90 a barrel. Expensive oil raises prices and business costs, so any relief is a tailwind for stocks.
(2) A bounce after two days of losses. The Nikkei had dropped more than 800 points over the previous two days, and buying back is easy in that kind of market.
(3) Buying in AI and chip-related stocks, which spread to semiconductors, wire and cable makers, and nonferrous metals.
U.S. stocks actually fell again on Tuesday. The Dow dropped 131.59 points to 51,349.92 and the Nasdaq slipped 22.84 points to 26,797.54. Comments from Federal Reserve officials supporting further rate hikes pushed long-term yields up. Even so, Japanese stocks rose sharply because the oil relief outweighed that worry.
USD/JPY traded between about 156.4 and 157.5 yen during the morning session, and around 157.38 in New York trading. Month-end flows also seem to have favored the yen a little.
Stocks in the Spotlight and Why
High-priced AI and chip-related names were the main drivers. Closing prices and percentage moves for individual stocks were not yet confirmed in the 4 p.m. hour, so the table says “Checking,” and I’ve added what was confirmed at the end of the morning session in the text.
| Ticker | Close | Change | Why it moved |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoftBank Group (9984) | Checking | Checking | Biggest contributor to the Nikkei’s gain |
| Tokyo Electron (8035) | Checking | Checking | Chip equipment leader, No. 2 contributor |
| Advantest (6857) | Checking | Checking | Rose with chip-related stocks |
| Fast Retailing (9983) | Checking | Checking | High-priced stock with big index weight |
| Ibiden (4062) | Checking | Checking | Sold while the market rose |
The “Checking” cells are items the data providers had not yet updated. Here is each stock in a little more detail.
SoftBank Group (9984)
What happened: At the end of the morning session the stock was at 6,393 yen, up 358 yen. By itself it lifted the Nikkei by about 288 points, the largest contribution.
Why it drew attention: It is a leading AI-related investment company and benefited from the market-wide AI buying. I could not confirm a separate new catalyst for today.
Why the move mattered: SoftBank Group has a very large weight in the Nikkei, so its moves swing the index more than most investors expect. It also surged on a recent day (see the Sept 24, 2026 Nikkei recap).
Tokyo Electron (8035)
What happened: At the end of the morning session it was at 11,770 yen, with a contribution of 133.25 points, second largest.
Why it drew attention: It is a major chip equipment maker and a symbol of the chip-related buying. Lower oil also eased risk aversion.
Why the move mattered: After two days of declines, bargain hunting was likely. I did not find a specific company news item.
Advantest (6857) and Fast Retailing (9983)
Advantest was at 34,200 yen at the end of the morning session, contributing 69.99 points. Fast Retailing was at 69,740 yen, contributing 82.87 points. Both have high share prices, so small moves swing the index. Fujikura (5803) was at 5,229 yen with a contribution of 59.94, showing strength in wire and cable makers too.
Ibiden (4062)
Ibiden was sold while the market rose, pulling the Nikkei down by about 20 points. Murata Manufacturing (6981) and Kyocera (6971) were also among the biggest decliners. I could not confirm a clear reason today. The point to remember is that even on a broad rally, some stocks get sold.
How I See It as an Individual Investor
For those who invest monthly, there’s no need to react to a 1,000-point rebound. Markets sometimes recover two days of losses in one session, and sometimes the reverse. What matters is continuing to invest the set amount on the set day.
For short-term traders, I’d check what is behind the rise before jumping in. Today’s gain leaned on a few high-priced AI and chip stocks, and U.S. yields remain high. If oil prices rise again, the tone could change.
What to Watch Next
(1) Today was the end of September, the close of the first half of the fiscal year for many companies. As October begins, new-period money flows can shift supply and demand.
(2) U.S. long-term yields and Fed officials’ comments. More support for rate hikes would weigh on tech stocks.
(3) Oil prices and the Middle East. Whether the pipeline recovery continues will decide whether today’s relief lasts.
For the previous day, see my Sept 29, 2026 Nikkei recap.
Let’s keep at it, slow and steady. See you tomorrow!
* Data sources: Daily Sports, Zaikei and other media reports. I will update the “Checking” items once confirmed.
日本語版はこちら → 【日経平均まとめ】2026年9月30日は1,272円高の66,753円！原油安とAI・半導体株買いで大幅反発
* This article is for informational purposes only and does not recommend any specific investment. Please make investment decisions at your own responsibility.
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