The Nikkei 225 was trading around ¥1,210 below the previous weekend's close. Stocks were heavily sold in early trading, but the index later narrowed its losses on buybacks. Mitsubishi Materials, Advantest and The Japan Steel Works were among the top decliners among Nikkei constituents.
Shortly after 11 a.m. on the 31st, the Nikkei 225 was trading around ¥65,190, approximately ¥1,210 below the previous weekend's close. Selling led the market from the opening amid weakness in US stocks, and the index temporarily fell ¥1,573.46 to ¥64,832.10 at 9:06 a.m., but it later narrowed its losses as investors bought stocks in hopes of a rebound.
Among the top decliners by percentage among Nikkei 225 constituents were Mitsubishi Materials, Advantest, The Japan Steel Works, Lasertec and Disco, while Kansai Electric Power, Tokai Carbon, JTEKT, Sumitomo Pharma and Suzuki were among the top gainers.
The dollar-yen exchange rate was trading in the high ¥159 range, while developments in the South Korean market were also contributing to subdued sentiment. Market conditions may fluctuate depending on developments in the United States and movements in Asian markets.