Nikkei 225 soars as Softbank stock surges, foreigners scoop Japan shares

The Nikkei 225 jumped more than 3.5% on May 21 to ¥61,940, its best day in weeks and well above this week's low of ¥59,460. The rally was driven by a potential US-Iran deal, foreign buying of Japanese stocks, and a sharp rise in SoftBank shares. The move points to stronger risk appetite and broad market support rather than a single-company catalyst.

Analysis

The Nikkei 225 jumped more than 3.5% on May 21 to ¥61,940, its best day in weeks and well above this week's low of ¥59,460. The rally was driven by a potential US-Iran deal, foreign buying of Japanese stocks, and a sharp rise in SoftBank shares. The move points to stronger risk appetite and broad market support rather than a single-company catalyst.