The Nikkei Average stood at ¥68,578.02 in afternoon trading on 9 October, down ¥464.09. The decline eased somewhat from the morning session, but electronics component stocks including Nidec and Murata Manufacturing fell notably, while a wait-and-see mood spread ahead of the three-day weekend.
The Nikkei Average opened afternoon trading down ¥464.09, narrowing its decline from the level at the morning close. TOPIX edged higher, with large-cap stocks moving differently from small- and mid-cap stocks. The market continued to fall in the morning session under the influence of US markets, although there were signs of an attempted rebound toward the end of the session.
Among the most actively traded stocks by value on the TSE Prime Market, Nidec fell ¥144 from the previous day and Murata Manufacturing fell ¥340. SoftBank Group and Furukawa Electric also declined, while electronics component and semiconductor-related stocks were notably weak. Murata Manufacturing and SoftBank Group were among the Nikkei constituents that fell.
In morning trading, the Nikkei Average fell at one point to ¥68,150.02 as of 9:20 a.m., before rebounding to around ¥68,620. Afternoon trading began near that level, with the decline narrowing somewhat.
In Asian markets, the Shanghai Composite's decline widened from a slight loss, while the Hang Seng Index rebounded. Investors appear focused on adjusting positions ahead of the three-day weekend, and risk appetite is considered limited.