Shares of Japan's Nintendo soared another 14% today, more than doubling the firm's market capitalisation to 4.5 trillion yen ($42.5 billion) in just seven sessions since the mobile game Pokemon GO was launched in the US.
The phenomenal success of Pokemon GO - now available in 35 countries - has triggered massive buying in Nintendo shares.
The success of the game has surprised even some seasoned market players.
Nintendo shares ended 14.4% higher at 31,770 yen today, bringing its gains to more than 100% since the launch of the game on July 6.
Turnover in Nintendo shares hit 703.6 billion yen, surpassing the record for trading turnover in individual shares it set on Friday, of 476 billion yen.
Trading in Nintendo shares roughly accounted for a quarter of the entire trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's main board.
The success of Pokemon GO, unforeseen even by its creators, has boosted hopes that Nintendo could capitalise on a line-up of popular characters ranging from Zelda to Super Mario to strengthen its new foray into augmented reality.
The popularity of Pokemon GO is also producing an unexpected boom in some shares that have a scant link to the game.
Shares in First Baking, a bakery firm with annual sales of 25 billion yen, saw its shares rise 18% today as the firm sells "Pokemon Bread" among other breads wrapped with character-decorated bags.
Pokemon GO commended in Seanad
Separately, Pokemon GO has been commended in the Seanad for encouraging teenagers to become more active.
Senator Catherine Noone requested that the Government support video gaming companies in the upcoming Budget that create ways "to get people moving".
She said Ireland is on course to become one of the fattest nations in the world, and statistics in the US show people playing Pokemon GO are "walking for miles".
The Fine Gael senator said, while there were concerns about the safety of young people playing the game, safety measures could be implemented.
While she acknowledged that she did not "know enough" about video gaming, she said in keeping with "new politics", there should be innovative ways of dealing with problems (like obesity) in the country.
She called on the Government to be "forward thinking" in the upcoming Budget.
