Dollar-yen fell as low as ¥157.68, while the Nikkei average also turned negative as South Korean stocks fell more than 3%. Expectations that Samsung Electronics' results would fall short of forecasts prompted risk aversion in the market.
Dollar-yen remained under pressure, with signs of risk-averse yen buying and foreign-currency selling. Dollar-yen consequently fell as low as ¥157.68, while euro-yen fell to ¥175.82.
South Korean stocks fell sharply on expectations that Samsung Electronics' results would fall short of forecasts, and the Nikkei average sank into negative territory, down by around 3 digits.