In the mid-afternoon session on the 8th, the Tokyo market was rangebound near its lows. The Nikkei Average's rebound remained sluggish amid uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East and concerns over European fiscal conditions, while movements in Prime-listed stocks also showed signs of change.
The Nikkei Average continued to trade near its lows and, after slipping slightly below the morning low, narrowed its losses, although the rebound was reported to be sluggish. Some market participants said it was difficult for medium- to long-term funds, particularly from overseas investors, to flow into the stock market, while there were also views that some investors were buying on dips.
In afternoon trading, the Nikkei Average remained sharply lower than the previous day, and the TOPIX also continued to decline. At one point, the market fell broadly amid persistently high global bond yields and fiscal concerns.
After 11:00 a.m., the Nikkei Average at times widened its losses temporarily, as concerns over European fiscal conditions and uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East weighed on the overall stock market. The market had opened lower than the previous day, with selling taking the lead.
Related links and information on other stocks were also reported, suggesting that weakness across the broader market was continuing.