The Nikkei average fell more than ¥1,700 late in the morning session, ending at ¥67,292.39. Selling centered on semiconductor stocks, while trends in US markets weighed on sentiment.
The Nikkei average fell ¥1,738.53 during the morning session and ended trading at ¥67,292.39. It opened at ¥68,564.85 after the market opened, but the decline widened during the session, taking the index below the ¥70,000 threshold.
Against a backdrop of weakness in US technology stocks, selling concentrated from the open in high-priced semiconductor-related stocks. Uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East and trends in crude oil prices also dampened investor sentiment, with declines in AI-related and semiconductor-related stocks particularly pronounced.
Among individual stocks, semiconductor-related names such as Advantest and Tokyo Electron fell, as did Ibiden, Taiyo Yuden, Lasertec and SCREEN Holdings. In contrast, domestic-demand and financial stocks such as Fast Retailing and Toyota Motor attracted buying, while marine transportation, securities and insurance stocks rose by sector.
September domestic corporate goods prices were reported to have risen 6.8% year on year, below the median private-sector forecast of a 7.6% increase. In US markets, the Dow traded higher, and in the Tokyo market's afternoon session, fund flows into domestic-demand and financial sectors were expected to attract attention.
Trading volume on the TSE Prime Market was reported at approximately 1 billion shares.