Nikkei 225 May Extend Gains After 0.87% Rise; Wall Street Rally and Semiconductor Strength Lift Sentiment

Japan's Nikkei 225 could add to Tuesday's gains on Wednesday after the index advanced 495.39 points, or 0.87%, to close at 57,321.09, following a two-day winning streak that had lifted the benchmark more than 900 points, or 1.8%. The index traded between 56,732.93 and 57,421.67 during the session, with automakers and technology stocks mixed while financials weakened. SoftBank Group plunged 5.38%, Mizuho Financial fell 3.41%, and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial dropped 2.60%, while Toyota Motor added 0.58% and Mitsubishi Electric climbed 1.13%. The positive lead from Wall Street supported sentiment, with the Dow rising 0.76% to 49,174.50, the NASDAQ gaining 1.04% to 22,863.68, and the S&P 500 adding 0.77% to 6,890.07. Semiconductor stocks led the rebound, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index jumping 1.5% to a record closing high. U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly improved in February, while April WTI crude fell 1.1% to $66.31 a barrel. Japan's January producer price data are due later.