Japanese Shares Slip Amid Hawkish BOJ Signals
The Nikkei 225 Index shed 0.06% to close at 37,447 while the broader Topix Index lost 0.22% to 2,771 on Tuesday, with Japanese shares sliding for the third straight session as investors reacted to hawkish signals from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda.
Ueda reiterated the central bank’s readiness to raise interest rates again if economic and inflation forecasts are met, reinforcing expectations of a gradual policy shift.
He also noted that Japan’s economy is in a moderate recovery phase, supported by improving corporate profits and firm business sentiment, despite some lingering weaknesses.
Market sentiment was further weighed down by growing global trade concerns. US President Donald Trump’s recent threat to double tariffs on steel imports to 50% drew sharp criticism from major trading partners and raised fears of spillover effects on Japan’s steel and manufacturing sectors.
Among the notable laggards were Sanrio (-1.3%), Fujikura (-1.8%), and Mitsubishi UFJ (-0.7%).
Source: Trading Economi
