Nikkei 225 Crosses 60,000, Sets All-Time High

Japan's Nikkei 225 index crossed 60,000 for the first time and set an all-time closing high, a landmark moment for the country's benchmark stock index. The milestone marks a significant shift for an index that spent decades recovering from the asset bubble collapse of the early 1990s, when the Nikkei peaked near 39,000 before entering a long bear market. The Nikkei had already reclaimed its 1989 peak in early 2024 after a 34-year wait, and this new record extends that rally well beyond the prior ceiling. Crossing 60,000 signals sustained investor confidence in Japanese equities, driven in part by corporate governance reforms, yen dynamics that have boosted export earnings, and growing foreign inflows into Japanese markets. Investors will be watching whether the rally holds at these levels and whether the Bank of Japan's monetary policy path adds volatility or support to the index from here.