On the 24th, bullish and bearish views among market participants are expected to remain evenly matched, with nervous trading continuing as investors keep an eye on long-term interest rates. The Nikkei Average is expected to trade slightly lower, while gains in US stocks and developments in Shanghai are also key market factors.
The prevailing view for the market on the 24th is that conflicting investor sentiment will persist. With investors watching the direction of long-term interest rates, buying and selling are likely to remain finely balanced. Although sharp price movements are expected to be contained, nervous trading is forecast to continue.
The major indices were as follows: as of 15:30, the Nikkei Average stood at 66,016.36, down 200.43, or approximately 0.30%, from the previous day. The Dow closed at 53,277.01, up 517.80, while the Shanghai Composite stood at 3,905.20, up 1.48, reflecting mixed movements across major markets.
Market participants need to monitor long-term interest rates closely and remain mindful of risk management in light of the widening interest-rate differential between Japan and the United States and movements in foreign exchange rates. Depending on the economic indicators and corporate developments reported going forward, short-term shifts in market conditions may occur.