SoftBank Group shares extended strong gains on Friday, pushing the stock to levels close to its all-time high as investor interest in artificial intelligence investments and prospective public listings persisted.
The share price rose as much as 14% to 6,881 yen by 02:11 GMT, putting it in proximity to the 6,923.8 yen peak recorded last year. This move built on a near-20% jump in the previous trading session, underscoring the heightened appetite for the stock over the past two sessions.
Market participants pointed to optimism surrounding a possible initial public offering of ChatGPT maker OpenAI and to plans to list SB Energy, SoftBank’s energy and data centre unit, as key catalysts for the recent buying. Those developments have been cited repeatedly by investors as reasons for increased demand in SoftBank shares.
In addition to the potential listings, SoftBank has benefited from a broader uptick in AI-linked chip stocks following strong results from Nvidia. The renewed momentum in that segment has focused attention on Arm Holdings, the chip designer owned by SoftBank, which market watchers view as a primary beneficiary if demand for AI infrastructure continues to grow.
Earlier this month, SoftBank reported record annual profit, a result the company attributed largely to gains on its OpenAI investment. That financial outcome has been highlighted as reinforcing investor confidence in SoftBank’s portfolio approach to AI-related assets.
Context and implications
The stock’s recent moves reflect a combination of event-driven optimism around potential listings and broader sector dynamics tied to AI hardware demand. While the immediate impact has been a significant rise in SoftBank’s share price, the underlying drivers cited by investors involve developments that are not yet completed, including IPO activity and continued strength in semiconductor earnings.
What investors are watching next
- Progress and announcements related to any OpenAI IPO plans.
- Updates on listing plans for SB Energy and how those might affect SoftBank’s valuation.
- Performance and earnings flow from AI-linked chip companies, which influence sentiment toward Arm Holdings and related assets.