The Nikkei 225 fell back for the first time in 3 days as the market saw a wave of profit-taking following its sharp gains through the previous day. Rising crude oil prices also weighed on the market, while a wait-and-see mood ahead of the US employment data pressured the market as a whole.
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo ended at ¥68309.46, down ¥647.26 from the previous day. It fell back for the first time in 3 days, as profit-taking intensified and selling dominated broadly. TOPIX fell 0.99%, while contributions from the TSE Prime Market declined.
Another rise in crude oil prices restrained investment appetite, and a wait-and-see mood strengthened ahead of the US employment data. The market was alert to the possibility that expectations of rate hikes could revive depending on employment trends, sending downward pressure beyond the major stocks.
Among individual stocks, SoftBank Group, Toyota Motor and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group were lackluster, while some semiconductor-related stocks, including Advantest, remained firm. The emerging market was weak, but Advantest's rise supported the downside.
The TSE Growth Market index continued to decline, while trading value on the TSE Prime Market was about ¥829.78 billion. Although trading volume expanded sharply, advancers remained limited and decliners continued to outnumber them.