The Nikkei Average fell sharply on the 22nd, closing at ¥62,907.84, below ¥63,000. Although bargain-hunting buying briefly emerged against the backdrop of gains in U.S. stocks, selling resumed and drove the decline wider.
The Nikkei Average fell sharply on the 22nd, closing at ¥62,907.84, down ¥1,713.40 from the previous day. The index briefly moved into positive territory early in the session on the back of gains in U.S. stocks, but selling pressure pushed it back into negative territory, and it spent the session probing for a bottom. In the morning session, it fell below ¥64,000 and ended down more than ¥700, with the decline widening into the afternoon.
At the close, TOPIX stood at 3,997.50, with 684 advancers and 821 decliners. Trading volume was approximately 2.19 billion shares, and turnover was approximately ¥7.05 trillion. Selling continued, particularly in AI-related stocks, and risk aversion intensified in the afternoon. Following Lam Research's earnings announcement in the U.S., its shares fell sharply in after-hours trading, and developments in semiconductor-related stocks affected the broader market.
Among individual stocks, UEX, which announced an upward earnings revision in the afternoon, was briefly bought up to the limit-up price, while Resonac Holdings plunged 11.2%. On the Prime Market as a whole, decliners outnumbered advancers, and selling was prominent across many stocks, including AI-related names.
The Nikkei Average closed below ¥63,000 at its session low, while Nikkei futures fell sharply to 63,200, down 1,580. Dollar-yen traded in the ¥157 range, and currency movements also affected investor sentiment.