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Asian Markets Surge; Nikkei Hits 62,000 on Peace Hopes

5/7/2026

44 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

On Thursday, May 7, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 5.7% and broke 62,000 as peace-deal hopes grew.
The Topix gained 2.12% to 3,807.84 while the MSCI Asia-Pacific index rose about 1%.
South Korean and Taiwanese markets hit record highs, helped by Samsung Electronics, now valued over $1 trillion.
Emerging markets rose 3.1% to near 1,700 points as Brent fell to $102.11, the dollar index to 98.032 and the yen to 156.29 per dollar.

History

Historical Context

After the 1989 asset-price bubble sent the Nikkei 225 tumbling to under 7,000, the index lingered below its peak for decades, only breaking the 20,000 barrier in 2015 and surpassing the 1989 record at 39,098 on 22 Feb 2024. The May 7 rally, driven by renewed peace-deal optimism, echoes past post-crisis rebounds and lifts the Nikkei, Topix and Taiwan’s market.

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Story summary

On Thursday, May 7, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 5.7% and broke 62,000 as peace-deal hopes grew.
The Topix gained 2.12% to 3,807.84 while the MSCI Asia-Pacific index rose about 1%.
South Korean and Taiwanese markets hit record highs, helped by Samsung Electronics, now valued over $1 trillion.
Emerging markets rose 3.1% to near 1,700 points as Brent fell to $102.11, the dollar index to 98.032 and the yen to 156.29 per dollar.

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