SoftBank Group Shares Rise as Iran Peace Hopes Trigger AI Stock Buying

By Kosaku Narioka

SoftBank Group shares surged as growing hopes for a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. reignited enthusiasm for artificial-intelligence and chip stocks in Japan and abroad.

SoftBank shares were recently 18% higher at their daily limit of 6,424 yen, equivalent to $41.07, on Thursday.

Expectations for U.S.-Iran peace talks have grown in recent sessions, triggering buying in technology stocks, as the countries worked with mediators on a framework to restart talks aimed at ending the conflict.

The Iran war had cast a shadow over data-center investment plans in recent weeks, as the conflict pushed up energy costs and disrupted supplies of chemical and other products necessary for chipmaking.

Also supporting SoftBank shares were solid quarterly results from its chip-design unit, Arm Holdings.

Arm late Wednesday reported higher profit in its fiscal fourth quarter and said it is seeing rampant demand for its new computer chips.

Besides SoftBank Group, various chip-related stocks soared in Japan as they played catch-up with overseas peers following public holidays from Monday through Wednesday.

Shares of memory chip maker Kioxia Holdings were indicated 19% higher as buy orders overwhelmed sell orders even at their daily limit. No shares changed hands so far.

Ibiden, a Japanese maker of semiconductor packaging materials, was 22% higher.

Write to Kosaku Narioka at kosaku.narioka@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 07, 2026 01:41 ET (05:41 GMT)