Mumbai, July 30 -- Japan's stock market ended higher on Thursday, with the Nikkei 225 Index rising 0.71% to 61,867, breaking a two-day losing streak. The gains were driven by strong buying in semiconductor stocks after Advantest raised its annual profit forecast, supported by solid demand for artificial intelligence-related chips.

Advantest shares surged more than 10% after the company increased its operating profit outlook by 35%, boosting investor confidence in the semiconductor sector. The positive sentiment spread to other technology and AI-related companies, including Kioxia Holdings, Tokyo Electron, Murata Manufacturing, Ibiden, and Hitachi, all of which posted gains.

However, the broader market was weighed down by weakness in som...