Nikkei Pressured by Tariffs & Chip Sentiment
Japanese stocks are likely to weaken on Thursday as the market remains cautious about the impact of US tariffs on corporate earnings. Nvidia's weak earnings outlook could also pressure chip-related stocks. Nikkei futures on SGX fell 0.2% to 42,410.
In the forex market, USD/JPY was at 147.27, weakening from 147.75 at the Tokyo close on Wednesday. A slightly stronger yen is usually a headwind for Japanese exporters, adding pressure to equity sentiment.
In addition to tariff news, investors are also closely monitoring developments in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election. Political uncertainty could dampen risk appetite, especially if it impacts the direction of Japan's fiscal policy and structural reforms.
For context, the Nikkei briefly rose 0.3% to 42,520.27 on Wednesday. However, the combination of US tariffs, the sluggish chip demand outlook, and the yen's movement could trigger short-term selling pressure in the following session. (ayu)
Source: Newsmaker.id
