Semiconductor equipment stocks gave up their gains in the afternoon on 14 October in the Tokyo market. Tokyo Electron, DISCO and Lasertec were among the notable decliners following ASML’s earnings announcement for July to September.
Buying to recover from the previous day’s sharp decline had led in the morning, but selling intensified at around 2:00 p.m. after ASML announced its earnings. Semiconductor manufacturing and inspection equipment stocks were broadly weak, significantly weighing on the closing prices of Tokyo Electron, DISCO and Lasertec.
Tokyo Electron ended the session at ¥11,240, down ¥315 from the previous day; DISCO ended at ¥58,100, down ¥480; and Lasertec ended at ¥45,370, down ¥720. Declines varied by stock, with TEL down 2.73% and DISCO down 0.82%.
The impact on the broader market was significant. Tokyo Electron was said to have reduced the Nikkei 225 by approximately ¥159, with its contribution exceeding the index’s overall decline. The factors cited included ASML’s earnings coming in within market expectations and continued volatility in China-related memory stocks.
On the same day, Tokyo Electron indicated that it was prepared to cooperate on equipment for a new plant planned by US-based GlobalFoundries in New York State. Order opportunities may change over the medium to long term, and TSMC’s earnings on 15 October were expected to influence the direction of equipment stocks.