SoftBank Shares Jump 13% After $5.4 Billion ABB Robotics Deal

SoftBank Group shares surged over 13% on Thursday after the Japanese conglomerate agreed to acquire ABB’s robotics division for $5.4 billion, marking another major step in its push toward artificial intelligence and automation.

The all-cash deal, subject to global regulatory approvals, will see SoftBank take full control of ABB’s robotics arm, shelving ABB’s earlier plan to spin it off as a separate listed entity.

“SoftBank’s next frontier is Physical AI,” said founder Masayoshi Son. “Together with ABB Robotics, we will fuse Artificial Super Intelligence and robotics, a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward.”

The purchase highlights Son’s vision of Artificial Super Intelligence, AI that he believes will be 10,000 times smarter than humans. It also cements SoftBank’s strategy of building an AI-focused portfolio through acquisitions and investments across hardware and software. The group already owns chip designer Arm and holds a major stake in OpenAI.

The announcement followed reports that SoftBank-owned British chipmaker Graphcore plans to invest $1.3 billion in India, including a new R&D hub, during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to the country this week.

Regional markets reacted positively. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.11%, led by technology and industrial stocks, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.44%. Mainland China’s CSI 300 added 0.4% after a holiday break, though Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.93%.

In Hong Kong, Hang Seng Bank shares soared nearly 30% after parent HSBC proposed a $37 billion privatization, while HSBC’s own shares dropped 6%. South Korean markets remained closed for a national holiday.

On Wall Street, U.S. equity futures were steady after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite set new record highs Wednesday, buoyed by tech and industrial gains despite the ongoing government shutdown.