Japanese Shares Slip as Fed Signals Caution
The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.3% to below 36,700 while the broader Topix Index dropped 0.5% to 2,682 on Thursday, extending losses from the previous session as the US Federal Reserve signaled a cautious stance amid tariff-driven uncertainty.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell also stated that the central bank is not considering a preemptive rate cut in response to the potential economic impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs. On the domestic front, minutes from the latest Bank of Japan meeting indicated that the central bank would continue raising interest rates if its economic and inflation projections materialize.
However, some policymakers expressed concerns about the risks posed by evolving US trade policies. Among the notable decliners were Kawasaki Heavy Industries (-1.3%), Nintendo (-1.2%), Sony Group (-3%), Toyota Motor (-0.8%), and SoftBank Group (-2.4%).
Source : Trading Economics