Japan’s Stocks Have Worst Month Since 2022 on Chips, Tariffs
Japanese stocks had their biggest monthly drop since 2022 as a selloff in chip-related firms accelerated and concerns over the global economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs deepened.
There was a broad slump in export-sensitive industries such as electronics and automobiles, non-ferrous metals and shipping. An 8.5% plunge in Nvidia Corp. shares on Thursday weighed on semiconductor- and AI-related names in Japan. The two worst performers on the Nikkei 225 Stock Average were Disco Corp. and Advantest Corp., with both dropping more than 8%.
The Topix Index fell 2% to 2,682.09 as of the market close in Tokyo, while the blue-chip Nikkei declined 2.9% to 37,155.50, tumbling as much as 3.7% at one point during the day, the biggest intraday drop since September. Both indexes posted their biggest monthly losses since December 2022.
Trump said that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico are on track to take effect on March 4, and added he would impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese imports.
Source: Bloomberg
