Japan’s Nikkei 225 index hits a record high close of 40,913.65

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Nikkei 225 benchmark has closed at a fresh record high of 40,913.65, pushing past its most recent record close set in March. The index gained 0.8%, buoyed by heavy buying of technology and export-oriented shares. The gains tracked an overnight rally on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq also hit fresh records. The gains tracked an overnight rally on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq also hit fresh records. Foreign investors have piled into the Japanese market partly due to the cheapness of the Japanese yen, which is trading at 34-year lows against the dollar. The Nikkei 225’s all-time high during intraday trading is 41,087.75, set on Feb. 24.