Japanese Stocks Fluctuate as Automakers Drop on Tariff Fears
Japanese stocks fluctuated as exporters slumped after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would likely impose tariffs of around 25% on imports of cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
The Topix fell 0.1% to 2,773.81 as of 9:03 a.m. in Tokyo.
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.1% to 39,214.39. “Japanese stocks are nearing the upper end of their range, and are likely to weaken as investors weigh President Trump’s tariff talk,” said Kohei Onishi, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley. “Investors wary of tariff risks may not be involved in auto stocks at the moment, so there is little chance of a surprise move.” Investors will watch BOJ board member Hajime Takata’s speech to business leaders in Miyagi at 10:30 a.m., and his news conference at 2:30 p.m.
Keyence contributed the most to the Topix’s decline, falling 2.4%. Of the 1,695 stocks in the index, 772 rose and 746 fell, while 177 were unchanged.
Source: Bloomberg
