Against the backdrop of declines in US semiconductor stocks, Japanese stock index futures were under pressure before the open, particularly Nikkei 225 futures. The overall market is expected to move in tandem with US equities.
Nikkei 225 futures were soft before the open and appear to have been influenced by developments in the US stock market. With the risk of a decline in the Nikkei Stock Average in focus, futures-led moves have been prominent.
Semiconductor stocks declined in the US market, and this is widely viewed as having weighed on Japan's stock index futures market as well. The performance of stocks sensitive to semiconductor-related names may determine the direction of the futures market in Japan.