Nikkei 225 Dips 0.16% to Close at New All-Time High After Record Surge

Japan's Nikkei 225 closed down 0.16% on May 8, 2026, yet notched a fresh all-time high amid mixed sector performance and ongoing chip strength. The index first crossed 62,000 on May 6 at 62,243.88 (+4.6%), driven by Middle East de-escalation hopes, before exploding 5.80% on May 7 to close at a record 62,958, powered by US-Iran peace deal optimism, Wall Street tech spillover, and double-digit gains in Ibiden (+22.43% to 16,375) and SUMCO (+19.74% to 3,033). May 8 saw SUMCO extend gains +17.97% to 3,578 (five-year high), offsetting losses in paper, transport, and communication sectors.