The Nikkei Stock Average was briefly down more than ¥1,400 from the previous week's close, falling below ¥64,000. Selling spread across semiconductor-related stocks under the influence of the US market, and declines in major stocks were also pronounced.
In Tokyo trading on the 19th, the Nikkei Stock Average was briefly down ¥1,400 from the previous week's close, falling below ¥64,000. Selling spread across AI-related and semiconductor-related stocks following declines in US equities, weighing on share prices.
Semiconductor-related stocks were particularly heavily sold, with selling pressure also weighing on Tokyo Electron, Advantest and SoftBank Group. This accelerated the decline across the market, including related stocks.
In the US market on the 16th, selling pressure had spread mainly across AI-related stocks as investors continued to closely watch the Nasdaq, which has a high concentration of technology stocks. There was a view that a similar trend had spread to the Japanese market.
Some market participants said the Nikkei's decline resulted not only from temporary local factors but also from the impact of a sharp fall in US semiconductor stocks and investors' risk-averse stance. Future market direction may depend on the US market and semiconductor companies' earnings trends.