TOKYO, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended at record highs Wednesday, with the Nikkei index topping 68,000 for the first time, driven by buying of technology shares linked to the boom in artificial intelligence.

The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended up 1,667.89 points, or 2.50 percent, from Tuesday at a record 68,402.13.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 71.96 points, or 1.83 percent, higher at an all-time high of 3,996.20.

Tokyo stocks surged from the outset, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, while investors continued buying heavyweight technology shares such as chipmakers and semiconductor equipment makers.

The benchmark Nikkei briefly extended gains to over 3 percent to an intraday high of 68,786.49. ■