Tokyo, September 30 (QNA) - Japan's Nikkei index rose 2 percent on Wednesday, as AI-related stocks followed gains in US semiconductor companies, while economically sensitive stocks also rose due to lower oil prices.

The Nikkei index rose 1.94 percent to close at 66,753.72 points, after briefly rising by more than 2 percent, while the broader Topix index also rose 1.67 percent to reach 4,108.65 points.

Bank stocks rose, with Mizuho Financial Group gaining 4.52 percent, while shares of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group rose by more than 3 percent.

SoftBank Group, which invests in the technology sector, also rose 6.55 percent, while shares of Tokyo Electron, which manufactures chip-making equipment, rose 2.69 percent, and Advantest, which manufactures chip-testing equipment, rose 1.03 percent.

Fujikura, which manufactures optical fiber cables, rose 5.94 percent. (QNA)