The Nikkei Average continued to edge lower, with selling of semiconductor-related stocks weighing on the market while buying emerged in some major stocks and provided support. The lunchtime comment reports on morning trading conditions and movements in individual stocks.
The Nikkei Average ended the morning session at ¥63,095.11, down ¥195.00, with estimated trading volume of approximately 1.02181 billion shares. In trading on 3 October, US markets declined, with the Dow and Nasdaq both lower, while selling of semiconductor-related stocks and caution over AI-related names also had an impact. Although the Nikkei Average fell from the previous day in the Tokyo market, buying in Tokyo Electron, supported by the strength of its full-year outlook, provided support for the market.
The market is expected to continue trading around the ¥63,000 level in the afternoon, with attention focused on assessing individual factors affecting semiconductor-related stocks. The Nikkei Average moved within the morning session's high-low range, while the TOPIX also closed lower. Position adjustments ahead of the release of the US semiconductor stock index and the October ISM Manufacturing Index were cited as factors that could drive market volatility.
Among stocks that rose were Tokyo Electron, Advantest, Lasertec, Fast Retailing, NGK, Daiichi Sankyo, Panasonic Holdings, Sapporo Holdings, Disco, Bandai Namco Holdings, Mitsubishi Electric, Nippon Electric Glass and Sony Group. Meanwhile, Kioxia HD, SoftBank Group, SCREEN Holdings, Recruit Holdings, Ibiden, HOYA, TDK, Toyota Tsusho, Otsuka Holdings, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Kyocera, Shin-Etsu Chemical and Nitto Denko fell.
By sector, glass and ceramics products, electric power and gas, and foods rose, while warehousing and harbor transportation services, precision instruments, and nonferrous metals declined. In the afternoon, the market is expected to remain centered around the ¥63,000 level while monitoring semiconductor-related stocks and movements in overseas markets.