{"id":41658,"date":"2026-02-12T14:42:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T06:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/?p=41658"},"modified":"2026-02-12T14:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T06:42:58","slug":"nikkei-hikes-as-takaichi-trade-lifts-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/analysis\/nikkei-hikes-as-takaichi-trade-lifts-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Nikkei Hikes as Takaichi Trade Lifts Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/03\/image_fx-86-1024x559.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20961\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nikkei225 hit 58,015.08 before easing to close at 57,849.72, down 0.46%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The index is up roughly 15% YTD, boosted by stimulus bets and strong earnings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Nikkei 225 Index<\/strong> briefly pierced the <strong>58,000 mark for the first time<\/strong> on Thursday, climbing to a session high of <strong>58,015.08<\/strong>, before closing at <strong>57,849.72<\/strong>, down <strong>270 points (-0.46%)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The milestone was part of a rare three-way rally also seen in the <strong>yen<\/strong> and <strong>Japanese government bonds<\/strong>, as traders absorbed the full implications of <strong>Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi\u2019s landslide election victory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Japan\u2019s super-long bonds extended their post-election rally as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi\u2019s historic election win soothed investor concerns about fiscal policy <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9oXn3pLOX1\">https:\/\/t.co\/9oXn3pLOX1<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bloomberg (@business) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/business\/status\/2021762793955852693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 12, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The benchmark index has now risen <strong>15% year-to-date<\/strong>, driven by optimism over post-election fiscal measures, corporate tax reform, and robust earnings season momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The broader <strong>TOPIX<\/strong> also climbed <strong>0.7% to 3,880.48<\/strong>, highlighting broad-based market strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Political Clarity and Stimulus Bets Fuel Gains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Takaichi\u2019s decisive win is widely seen as a green light for aggressive fiscal policy, with expectations building around <strong>consumer-focused stimulus<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PDibNgSRXY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">corporate tax relief<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has powered local equities higher, especially as foreign traders return in search of undervalued Japanese assets amid clearer political leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Yen, Bonds Join the Rally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/analysis\/yen-jumps-as-takaichi-win-shakes-dollar-bulls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">yen rallied<\/a> to a two-week high of 152.28<\/strong> per dollar after Japan\u2019s top currency official Atsushi Mimura warned against excessive volatility and hinted at possible rate checks. The comments come as some traders begin unwinding short-yen positions, citing the stabilising political backdrop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Japan\u2019s top currency official said the government remains on high alert over foreign exchange movements in a week that\u2019s seen gains in the Japanese currency <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/U31Md1bOWl\">https:\/\/t.co\/U31Md1bOWl<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bloomberg (@business) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/business\/status\/2021766689512120442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 12, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Simultaneously, <strong>long-dated JGBs<\/strong> led a surge in bond prices, rounding out a rare <strong>triple rally<\/strong> across equities, currencies, and bonds\u2014typically not seen together. Analysts say this alignment suggests renewed confidence in both fiscal responsibility and monetary stability under the Takaichi administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earnings, Eyes on SoftBank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The day\u2019s gains were not uniform. <strong>Honda Motor<\/strong> slid <strong>3.3%<\/strong> after reporting a <strong>61% drop in Q3 profit<\/strong> due to weaker sales and higher costs. Markets are now watching <strong>SoftBank Group\u2019s<\/strong> results, expected after the bell, for insight into how it plans to fund its AI-heavy investment strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">SoftBank Group is expected to report a profit on its OpenAI investment, with its OpenAI stake now seen as a key driver of sentiment around the Japanese firm <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IxJdx2qwc3\">https:\/\/t.co\/IxJdx2qwc3<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XYMnLpEPP2\">pic.twitter.com\/XYMnLpEPP2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Reuters\/status\/2021212556535202278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 10, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The company\u2019s exposure to high-growth tech and its Vision Fund performance could be critical to overall investor sentiment heading into the next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were <strong>150 advancers vs 74 decliners<\/strong> on the Nikkei index, suggesting strength remains broad, though some sectors are beginning to show signs of fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Technical Analysis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> is easing slightly to <strong>57,849.72<\/strong>, down <strong>270 points (-0.46%)<\/strong>, after recently pushing to fresh highs near 58,800.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite today\u2019s pullback, the broader daily structure remains firmly bullish, with price still holding above all key moving averages reflecting strong underlying momentum built since the late-September low around <strong>44,325<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/03\/1_image-15-1024x474.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41659\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The recent surge was supported by rising volume, indicating strong participation on the upside. However, the latest red candle suggests short-term profit-taking after the sharp rally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the index holds above the <strong>57,500\u201357,300<\/strong> area, the broader uptrend remains intact, with resistance sitting near the recent highs around <strong>58,800\u201359,000<\/strong>. A deeper pullback would likely find initial support near <strong>55,700\u201356,000<\/strong>, where the 10-day average is rising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, this appears to be a technical pause within a strong bullish trend rather than a confirmed reversal. Momentum remains constructive unless price decisively breaks below the short-term moving averages with expanding downside volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Cautious Outlook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Further yen strength could weigh on exporters, but stabilising bond yields and government coordination may prevent sharp corrections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The post-election honeymoon phase remains intact, but eyes are now on whether policies can be delivered swiftly enough to keep markets elevated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Learn more about trading <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/indices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Indices<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/trade-now\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">VT Markets<\/a> today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nikkei rallies past 58,000 on stimulus hopes and political clarity; yen and JGBs join in rare triple surge. | VT Markets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":20961,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[11,30],"class_list":["post-41658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis","tag-indices","tag-nikkei"],"acf":{"acf_article_selection_author":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41658"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41658\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}