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Nikkei 225 Closes Up 0.74%, Kioxia Surges 15%; South Korean Markets Closed

TradingKey

AuthorYulia Zeng

Aug 17, 2026 6:59 AM

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On Monday, August 17, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.74% to close at 69,220.25 points, driven by surging tech stocks like Kioxia and SoftBank Group. The memory sector rallied strongly, fueled by optimistic demand expectations for AI infrastructure and robust U.S. memory stock performance, which lifted regional supply chains. Meanwhile, Japan's Q2 real GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.1%, signaling a growth slowdown that missed the 2% market expectation. South Korean markets remained closed for a holiday.

AI-generated summary

TradingKey - On Monday, August 17, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index (JPN225) closed up 0.74% at 69,220.25 points, approaching the 70,000 mark; South Korean stock markets were closed for a holiday, with no trading conducted on that day.

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Source: TradingView

Japanese tech stocks significantly outperformed the broader market, with memory chipmaker Kioxia surging 15.07% to 61,840 yen (approximately $389); SoftBank Group rose 2.56% to close at 5,886 yen. The memory sector continued its previous strong performance, as optimistic market expectations for AI infrastructure and high-performance memory demand continued to support related stocks.

On the news front, Japan's latest economic data signaled a growth slowdown. Data released by Japan's Cabinet Office showed that real GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.1% in the second quarter of 2026, lower than the revised 1.9% in the previous quarter and below market expectations of 2%.

In the previous trading session, the three major U.S. stock indices all closed lower; however, SanDisk (SNDK) rose over 7%, Seagate Technology (STX) gained more than 5%, and Western Digital (WDC) climbed over 4%. The ongoing strength in memory stocks further boosted sentiment across related supply chains in Asia.

This content was translated using AI and reviewed for clarity. It is for informational purposes only.

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Disclaimer: The content of this article solely represents the author's personal opinions and does not reflect the official stance of Tradingkey. It should not be considered as investment advice. The article is intended for reference purposes only, and readers should not base any investment decisions solely on its content. Tradingkey bears no responsibility for any trading outcomes resulting from reliance on this article. Furthermore, Tradingkey cannot guarantee the accuracy of the article's content. Before making any investment decisions, it is advisable to consult an independent financial advisor to fully understand the associated risks.

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