Japanese Stocks Fall as Wall Street Falls
The Nikkei 225 index fell 2.17% to close at 36,887 on Friday, near its lowest level since September and tracking a decline on Wall Street, where technology stocks were hit by heavy selling pressure. President Trump's volatile tariff policies and an escalating global trade war fueled concerns about the economy, adding to market uncertainty.
Local equities also faced pressure from a stronger yen and rising Japanese government bond (JGB) yields, as expectations grew that the Bank of Japan would continue to raise interest rates this year. Economy Minister Ryosei Azakawa announced that Japan will officially declare an end to long-term deflation, marking a significant shift in the government's economic stance that could affect the timing of its next rate hike. Sharp losses were seen across sectors, including Fujikura (-4.6%), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (-4.2%), Sony Group (-4.2%), IHI Corp (-5.2%), and Nintendo (-9.2%).
Source: Trading Economics
