The Nikkei Average closed at ¥64,075.42, down ¥841.28 from the previous day, as selling intensified again in the afternoon session and trading remained volatile throughout the day.
In the Tokyo market on 20 October 2026, the Nikkei Average closed at ¥64,075.42, down ¥841.28 from the previous day's close of ¥64,916.70. It fell below ¥64,000 in the morning session, and the decline exceeded ¥1,100 at one point in the afternoon. The intraday range reached ¥1,015.07, making for volatile trading.
The index opened at ¥64,755.49 and reached an intraday high of ¥64,822.22, but could not hold that level for long. The morning close was ¥64,512.35, down ¥404.35 from the previous day, as selling dominated in the afternoon.
Selling pressure intensified again in the afternoon, and at 15:02 the index was pushed down to ¥63,807.15, ¥1,109.55 below the previous day's close, marking the intraday low. Buying to cover losses thereafter amounted to no more than ¥260 through the close.
Selling led by semiconductor stocks, triggered by declines in AI-related stocks, while some sectors, including mining and marine transportation, attracted buying, preventing a broad-based decline. The dollar-yen exchange rate remained in the ¥158 range, with the yen's weakening trend continuing.