The Nikkei 225 is the top stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Often referred to as the 'Nikkei Stock Average' or just the 'Nikkei', it consists of the top 225 blue chip companies in Japan listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The stocks that make the list are reviewed in April and October each year. The first calculation took place in September 1950 so the Nikkei 225 represents the history of the Japanese economy following World War II.
Most of the companies that are on the index are major exporters, so the market is not only highly sensitive to the global business cycle but also to the level of the yen.
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