Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Japan's Nikkei rose +3.6% this week, led by companies supplying copper foil, optical fibre and semiconductors directly into AI data centre buildouts.</li>
<li>The rally is backed by real earnings: double-digit profit growth, raised guidance and dividend hikes across materials and components makers serving AI infrastructure. </li>
<li>Rising copper and gold prices are boosting earnings forecasts for miners while reinforcing a multi-year supply constraint narrative for materials suppliers serving electrification and AI infrastructure.</li>
</ul>


Japan's Nikkei rose +3.6% this week, led by companies supplying copper foil, optical fibre and semiconductors directly into AI data centre buildouts.
The rally is backed by real earnings: double-digit profit growth, raised guidance and dividend hikes across materials and components makers serving AI infrastructure. 
Rising copper and gold prices are boosting earnings forecasts for miners while reinforcing a multi-year supply constraint narrative for materials suppliers serving electrification and AI infrastructure.


Japan Strategy Weekly | The AI Age Plumber

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

<ul>
<li>NVDA was good - but not good enough to shake off worries the longer-term growth trajectory is unsustainable, regardless of what's projected this year.</li>
<li>Expect names with smartphone exposure and particularly MLCC suppliers who have rallied sharply as the latest AI plays to pullback into month-end.</li>
<li>Dell +12% in AH as its earnings silence critics concerned it would struggle to contain rising memory costs.</li>
</ul>


NVDA was good - but not good enough to shake off worries the longer-term growth trajectory is unsustainable, regardless of what's projected this year.
Expect names with smartphone exposure and particularly MLCC suppliers who have rallied sharply as the latest AI plays to pullback into month-end.
Dell +12% in AH as its earnings silence critics concerned it would struggle to contain rising memory costs.


Japan Morning Connection: IDC Drops a Bombshell Expecting Smartphone Mkt to Contract 12.9% This Year

<ul>
<li>NVDA numbers hard to fault to expect continued strength in Japan SPE, and I would watch for a rebound from Ibiden after yesterday's dip.</li>
<li>Software rebounded so watch NEC Hitachi and Fujitsu, although Salesforce weakness AH may take the shine off.</li>
<li>SMCI's C-Node X AI infrastructure stack in partnership with Vast and NVDA may help Nidec catch a bid.</li>
</ul>


NVDA numbers hard to fault to expect continued strength in Japan SPE, and I would watch for a rebound from Ibiden after yesterday's dip.
Software rebounded so watch NEC Hitachi and Fujitsu, although Salesforce weakness AH may take the shine off.
SMCI's C-Node X AI infrastructure stack in partnership with Vast and NVDA may help Nidec catch a bid.


Japan Morning Connection: Navitas Semi Numbers Show Increased Adoption of GaN/SiC Power Components

<ul>
<li>Markets reacting to a dystopian Citrini Research report highlighting the danger AI poses to the consumer driven economy.</li>
<li>Software takes another hit with IBM posting its biggest loses since 2000 on fears AI eats into its mainframe biz.</li>
<li>Semi-Caps are outperformers ahead of the NVDA numbers on Wednesday.</li>
</ul>


Markets reacting to a dystopian Citrini Research report highlighting the danger AI poses to the consumer driven economy.
Software takes another hit with IBM posting its biggest loses since 2000 on fears AI eats into its mainframe biz.
Semi-Caps are outperformers ahead of the NVDA numbers on Wednesday.


Japan Morning Connection: AI Fears Spread with Financials and Insurance Down Sharply

<ul>
<li>As AI shifts from software hype to hardware reality, hyperscalers plan $650–750 billion in 2026 capex for infrastructure, boosting upstream hardware suppliers.</li>
<li>Japan's Nikkei has outperformed globally (+13% YTD vs. Nasdaq's decline), driven by strong gains in materials and semiconductor equipment firms tied to the AI supply chain.</li>
<li>Prime Minister Takaichi's landslide election victory fuels optimism for pro-growth policies; markets reacted positively with equity rallies, yen strength, and falling yields.</li>
</ul>


As AI shifts from software hype to hardware reality, hyperscalers plan $650–750 billion in 2026 capex for infrastructure, boosting upstream hardware suppliers.
Japan's Nikkei has outperformed globally (+13% YTD vs. Nasdaq's decline), driven by strong gains in materials and semiconductor equipment firms tied to the AI supply chain.
Prime Minister Takaichi's landslide election victory fuels optimism for pro-growth policies; markets reacted positively with equity rallies, yen strength, and falling yields.


Japan Strategy Weekly | The Global Hardware Store for the AI Era

Japan

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. manufactures wires, cables, and metal products. The Company holds patents in optical fiber coating technology and produces optical fiber cables in the United States.  Furukawa Electric's metal products include aluminum cans, air conditioner parts, and shape memory alloys.

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Furukawa Electric (5801 JP)

Japan Strategy Weekly | The AI Age Plumber

Japan's Nikkei surged on the back of strong earnings and rising copper and gold prices, driven by companies supplying materials for AI...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Morning Connection: IDC Drops a Bombshell Expecting Smartphone Mkt to Contract 12.9% This Year

The unprecedented memory chip shortage will force manufacturers to focus on higher end more profitable phone models. Questions raised about if NVDA...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Navitas Semi Numbers Show Increased Adoption of GaN/SiC Power Components

Expectations missed after President's speech yesterday, negative for Sumitomo Forestry which been volatile since announcing new acquisition. Bain...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: AI Fears Spread with Financials and Insurance Down Sharply

The US banking sector took a hit after a bearish AI dystopian report from Citrini Research focused on ‘the human intelligence displacement spiral’.

Andrew Jackson

Japan Strategy Weekly | The Global Hardware Store for the AI Era

Hyperscalers plan massive capex for AI infrastructure, boosting hardware suppliers; Nikkei outperforms on strong gains in AI supply chain, &...

Mark Chadwick

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japan Strategy Weekly | The AI Age Plumber

​Japan's Nikkei surged on the back of strong earnings and rising copper and gold prices, driven by companies supplying materials for AI...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Morning Connection: IDC Drops a Bombshell Expecting Smartphone Mkt to Contract 12.9% This Year

The unprecedented memory chip shortage will force manufacturers to focus on higher end more profitable phone models. Questions raised about if NVDA...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Navitas Semi Numbers Show Increased Adoption of GaN/SiC Power Components

Expectations missed after President's speech yesterday, negative for Sumitomo Forestry which been volatile since announcing new acquisition. Bain...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: AI Fears Spread with Financials and Insurance Down Sharply

The US banking sector took a hit after a bearish AI dystopian report from Citrini Research focused on ‘the human intelligence displacement spiral’.

Andrew Jackson

Japan Strategy Weekly | The Global Hardware Store for the AI Era

​Hyperscalers plan massive capex for AI infrastructure, boosting hardware suppliers; Nikkei outperforms on strong gains in AI supply chain, &...

Mark Chadwick

Japan's Nikkei surged on the back of strong earnings and rising copper and gold prices, driven by companies supplying materials for AI...

Hyperscalers plan massive capex for AI infrastructure, boosting hardware suppliers; Nikkei outperforms on strong gains in AI supply chain, &...