On December 22, news reported that the Nikkei average rose for the second consecutive trading day, driven by a weaker yen and renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence investments. As of midday close, the Nikkei 225 index rose 2%, reporting 50,480.76 points; the index had already recorded a 1% increase last Friday. The Topix index increased by 0.8%. U.S. stocks closed higher last Friday, partly due to strong earnings expectations released by chip manufacturer Micron Technology, which reignited market optimism for artificial intelligence concept stocks. Shares of SoftBank Group, a major investor in Japan's artificial intelligence sector, surged 5.1%. Reports indicate that the company is striving to finalize a $22.5 billion investment commitment to OpenAI before the end of the year.