The Nikkei 225 was down 0.14% from the previous day at 63,396 yen 00 sen in the morning session, edging lower for a second straight session. With the U.S. FOMC meeting approaching, position adjustments were the main focus, while the TOPIX remained modestly higher.
In the morning session on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei 225 edged lower for a second straight session, ending the morning at 63,396 yen 00 sen, down 0.14% from the previous day. The TOPIX remained modestly positive.
Among individual stocks, concerns about higher crude oil prices and persistently high interest rates remained, while U.S. stock futures traded off-hours showed a firm tone. Some semiconductor stocks with a high contribution to the Nikkei 225 were weak, weighing on the index at times.
Trading value on the TSE Prime market was approximately ¥3.281692 trillion. Advancing stocks were seen in 26 sectors, while declines were particularly notable in pharmaceuticals, information and communications, and retail. The number of advancing stocks was reported at 1,054, compared with 436 decliners and 61 unchanged issues.
Shoichi Arisawa (有沢正一), a fellow in the Investment Research Department at Iwai Cosmo Securities, said institutional investors were finding it difficult to act ahead of central-bank events in Japan and the United States and the upcoming domestic holiday period. He said retail investors were expected to drive trading through selective buying, with the TOPIX likely to remain in positive territory.