In an unexpected shift on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Sanrio Co. $8136.T, the owner of Hello Kitty, surpassed Japan’s automotive giant Toyota Motor Corp. $7203.T in trading turnover for the month of May. The development reflects shifting investor sentiment, driven by index dynamics and growing risk differentiation in global equities.

Recently, the Japanese stock market experienced a boost due to stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings from companies like Sanrio $8136.T and Sony Group $6758.T. This improvement helped enhance overall market sentiment, despite concerns regarding potential new tariffs from the U.S. for automotive manufacturers following comments from Donald Trump.