The Nikkei 225 fell sharply and extended its decline after opening. Advantest was the largest negative contributor, pushing the index down by about ¥1,213. The declines in US markets the previous day and an upside surprise in US CPI were behind the move.
Following declines in US markets, the Nikkei 225 extended its sharp decline after opening on the 15th and continued to fall in the afternoon. The index ended trading at ¥64,489.06, down ¥3,255.23 from the previous day. As of the close on the 15th, 80 stocks had risen, 145 had fallen and 0 were unchanged.
By contribution, Advantest was the largest negative contributor, pushing the index down by about ¥1,213. It was followed by Tokyo Electron, SoftBank Group, Ibiden, Fujikura, TDK and Kioxia Holdings, among others, as semiconductor-related and electrical component stocks were sold.
In the morning, selling concentrated in semiconductor-related stocks amid concerns about additional rate hikes following an upside surprise in US CPI and a sharp decline in the SOX Index. The selling also spread to electronic components and nonferrous metals. Meanwhile, funds moved into domestic-demand and defensive stocks.
The Nikkei 225 was reported to have fallen sharply as deteriorating US market indicators and concerns about the cost of AI-related investment weighed on the market.