Jun 12, 2026, 14:09 GMT+7
By Junko Fujita
Reuters - Japan's Nikkei share average ended nearly 3% higher on Friday, as investors scooped up stocks after U.S. President Donald Trump touted a possible peace deal with Iran.
The Nikkeiclosed up 2.81% at 66,020.04 after rising as much as 4.4% earlier in the session.
In a volatile week, the index was down 0.85% for the week, snapping a three-week winning streak.
The broader Topixgained 1.35% to 3,881.96.
Trump on Thursday said the U.S. and Iran could sign a peace deal as soon as this weekend that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, but Iran countered that it had not reached a final decision on an agreement.
Chip-related shares led the Nikkei's gain, with Advantestand Tokyo Electronjumping 8.54% and 7.26%, respectively.
Bank shares rose ahead of the Bank of Japan's policy meeting next week, where the central bank is set to raise the policy rate to a 31-year high of 1%.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Groupand Mizuho Financial Grouprose 0.67% and 2.29%, respectively.
For the year so far, the bank indexis up 30% and at the same level as in mid-February, before the Middle East war broke out.
It underperforms a 68% gain of the nonferrous sector, where makers of fibre-optic cables such as Fujikuraand Furukawa Electric, used by AI data centres, belong.
"This signals the instability of the equity market. Investors have not yet started rotating their targets toward a wide variety of stocks," said Takamasa Ikeda, a senior portfolio manager at GCI Asset Management.
Staffing agency Recruit Holdingsand electronic component maker Murata Manufacturingfell 3.27% and 4.58%, respectively, to weigh on the Nikkei the most.
Camera and audio equipment maker Sony Groupfell 2.29%.

Sumber : Reuters