Japanese stocks plunged on the 15th, with the Nikkei ending below the ¥65,000 mark. Concerns over AI investment and expectations of higher US interest rates weighed on the market, spreading selling mainly across semiconductor-related stocks.
Japanese stocks fell sharply on the 15th, with the Nikkei ending at ¥64,425.95, well below the level from which a rebound for the first time in 4 days had been anticipated. The Nikkei's decline was ¥3,318, the third-largest on record, while the TOPIX was down approximately 2.4% from the previous day.
AI- and semiconductor-related stocks, including Advantest and SoftBank Group, were sold, while concerns over credit uncertainty surrounding US cloud giant CoreWeave worsened investor sentiment. In the domestic market, long-term interest rates declined, and the yen traded at around ¥158 to the dollar.
The decline in the SOX index spread following the drop in semiconductor-related stocks, while the bond market remained firm against a backdrop of lower US interest rates. Market participants pointed to concerns over the sustainability of AI development and capital investment, as well as risk-off moves ahead of the US midterm elections.
TSMC's earnings announcement was reported in the afternoon, but the market reaction was limited. The yen moved toward appreciation against the dollar, while afternoon trading continued to reflect risk-off sentiment.