Mumbai, Feb. 24 -- Japanese markets advanced as traders returned from a holiday. The Nikkei average surged 0.87 percent to 57,321.09, with fiber-cable makers leading the surge on talk of bigger AI infrastructure spending.

Shares of Furukawa Electric soared 15.3 percent. Defense stocks underperformed after China's commerce ministry banned selling "dual-use" goods to a list of Japanese companies over worries of military use.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Capital Market....