{"id":61199,"date":"2026-04-22T20:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T00:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T20:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T00:38:18","slug":"nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/","title":{"rendered":"Nikkei Hits 60,000 Milestone as Tesla Unveils $3B Chip Plan Amid Easing Geopolitical Tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#Asian_Markets_Hit_Record_Highs\" >Asian Markets Hit Record Highs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#Teslas_3_Billion_Semiconductor_Pivot\" >Tesla\u2019s $3 Billion Semiconductor Pivot<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#Geopolitical_Outlook_and_Commodity_Impact\" >Geopolitical Outlook and Commodity Impact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#New_Zealands_Economic_Contingency_Planning\" >New Zealand\u2019s Economic Contingency Planning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/nikkei-hits-60000-milestone-as-tesla-unveils-3b-chip-plan-amid-easing-geopolitical-tensions\/61199\/#Japans_Industrial_Activity_Strengthens\" >Japan\u2019s Industrial Activity Strengthens<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Japan\u2019s Nikkei 225 (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EN225\">^N225<\/a>) crossed the historic 60,000 mark for the first time<\/strong>, while South Korea\u2019s KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EKS11\">^KS11<\/a>) reached an all-time peak following record earnings from SK Hynix.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tesla (<a href=\"\/stock\/TSLA\">TSLA<\/a>) announced a $3 billion investment<\/strong> to construct a research chip plant in Texas, partnering with Intel (<a href=\"\/stock\/INTC\">INTC<\/a>) to produce AI chips using the 14A process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New Zealand\u2019s Treasury warned of a &quot;worst-case&quot; Iran war scenario<\/strong> that could see inflation spike to <strong>7.4%<\/strong> and oil prices reach <strong>$180 per barrel<\/strong> by 2025\u201326.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical risk sentiment improved<\/strong> after Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> extended a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, though the U.S. Central Command continues strategic deployments in the Middle East.<\/li>\n<li><strong>SK Hynix reported record quarterly profits<\/strong>, driven by surging demand for high-efficiency memory chips required for emerging data technologies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Asian_Markets_Hit_Record_Highs\"><\/span>Asian Markets Hit Record Highs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Nikkei 225 (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EN225\">^N225<\/a>)<\/strong> surged past the <strong>60,000 yen mark<\/strong> for the first time in history on Thursday, gaining <strong>0.6%<\/strong> in early trading despite earlier volatility. This milestone was mirrored in Seoul, where the <strong>KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EKS11\">^KS11<\/a>)<\/strong> climbed more than <strong>1%<\/strong> to hit a new all-time high. <em>Investor confidence in the region has been bolstered by a combination of strong corporate earnings and a temporary easing of Middle Eastern tensions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In the semiconductor space, <strong>SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660\">000660<\/a>)<\/strong> posted record quarterly profits, noting that while the DRAM spot market remains volatile, the broader demand for memory chips is accelerating. Shares of <strong>Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/SSNLF\">SSNLF<\/a>)<\/strong> rose <strong>3%<\/strong>, while <strong>SoftBank Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/SFTBY\">SFTBY<\/a>)<\/strong> saw a significant <strong>7% gain<\/strong>. Conversely, Australia\u2019s <strong>ASX 200 (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EAXJO\">^AXJO<\/a>)<\/strong> bucked the trend, dropping <strong>0.6%<\/strong> to <strong>8,794.30<\/strong> as investors weighed local economic pressures.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Teslas_3_Billion_Semiconductor_Pivot\"><\/span>Tesla\u2019s $3 Billion Semiconductor Pivot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>CEO Elon Musk confirmed that <strong>Tesla (<a href=\"\/stock\/TSLA\">TSLA<\/a>)<\/strong> intends to invest approximately <strong>$3 billion<\/strong> to build a specialized research chip plant in Texas. This facility represents the first step toward large-scale in-house manufacturing of AI chips. <em>The move is seen as a strategic effort to reduce reliance on external suppliers and optimize hardware for autonomous driving and robotics.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Tesla and SpaceX will utilize <strong>Intel (<a href=\"\/stock\/INTC\">INTC<\/a>)<\/strong>&#39;s <strong>14A process<\/strong> to manufacture these AI chips at a facility dubbed &quot;Terafab-NA.&quot; This collaboration highlights a deepening relationship between Musk\u2019s ventures and U.S.-based semiconductor fabrication. <em>Market analysts suggest this move could significantly alter the competitive landscape for AI hardware over the next three years.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitical_Outlook_and_Commodity_Impact\"><\/span>Geopolitical Outlook and Commodity Impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Global risk sentiment received a boost from news that <strong>Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> has extended a ceasefire<\/strong> regarding the U.S.-Iran conflict. While tensions in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> remain a concern for energy markets, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold-price.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a><\/strong> prices held near <strong>$4,735<\/strong> per ounce as the ceasefire offset immediate war fears. <strong>Oil<\/strong> prices edged slightly lower due to a rise in U.S. inventories and renewed hopes for formal U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks.<\/p>\n<p>However, the <strong>U.S. Central Command<\/strong> reported continued deployment of military personnel across various sectors in the Middle East, describing it as part of the &quot;strongest military system in the world.&quot; <em>This ongoing military presence suggests that while a ceasefire is in place, the region remains on high alert for potential energy supply disruptions.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_Zealands_Economic_Contingency_Planning\"><\/span>New Zealand\u2019s Economic Contingency Planning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>New Zealand\u2019s Finance Minister released a sobering report from the Treasury detailing a &quot;worst-case&quot; scenario involving the Iran conflict. Under these projections, <strong>real GDP growth could slow to just 0.8%<\/strong> in 2025\u201326, while <strong>unemployment could climb to 5.7%<\/strong>. The most alarming figure was a potential inflation peak of <strong>7.4%<\/strong>, predicated on oil prices hitting <strong>$180 per barrel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these warnings, the Finance Minister maintained that the economy\u2019s broader recovery remains intact, though it has been &quot;postponed&quot; by global instability. <em>The Treasury\u2019s transparency regarding these risks highlights the vulnerability of small, open economies to prolonged energy shocks and maritime trade disruptions.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Japans_Industrial_Activity_Strengthens\"><\/span>Japan\u2019s Industrial Activity Strengthens<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Economic data from Japan showed a resilient manufacturing sector, with the <strong>April flash Manufacturing PMI improving to 52.4<\/strong>, up from <strong>51.6<\/strong> in March. The <strong>Composite PMI<\/strong> rose to <strong>54.9<\/strong>, indicating robust overall private sector growth. However, the <strong>Services PMI<\/strong> saw a slight deceleration to <strong>51.2<\/strong> from <strong>53.4<\/strong>, suggesting a shift in the drivers of Japan&#39;s economic momentum.<\/p>\n<p>Capital flows also showed significant activity, with foreign investors purchasing <strong>\u00a52.38 trillion<\/strong> in Japanese stocks during the week ending April 17. <em>This massive influx of foreign capital has been a primary driver behind the Nikkei\u2019s ascent to its new 60,000-point ceiling.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Japan\u2019s Nikkei 225 (^N225) crossed the historic 60,000 mark for the first time, while South Korea\u2019s KOSPI (^KS11) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"rank_math_schema_Article":[],"rank_math_focus_keyword":[],"rank_math_description":[],"financial_data_references":[],"stock_symbols_mentioned":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5012],"tags":[4,4028,4369,4824,5103,5139,6569,6975],"class_list":["post-61199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","tag-tsla","tag-sftby","tag-tesla","tag-geopolitics","tag-new-zealand-economy","tag-nikkei-225","tag-sk-hynix","tag-ssnlf"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}