The Nikkei 225 index opened 324 points higher on Jan. 6 and continued to rise as buying spread across a broad range of stocks, mainly oil-related, following the U.S. military action against Venezuela.
The benchmark index soared more than 600 points above the Jan. 5 close in morning trading and surpassed its record high close of 52,411.34 set on Oct. 31, 2025.
The strong upward trend continued from Jan. 5, the first trading day of the year on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, when the Nikkei index rose 1,493 points.
The TSE rally follows a surge in U.S. markets on Jan. 5, when energy stocks led gains after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela sparked optimism about future investment in the U.S. oil industry.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 594.79 points to finish at 48,977.18, a record high.
At one point, the Dow climbed more than 800 points, briefly reaching the 49,000 range and updating the intraday record high.
U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that major U.S. oil companies plan to invest in Venezuela and rebuild its energy sector, lifting sentiment across the oil industry and driving energy shares higher.