FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Fall as Wall Street Weighs

The Nikkei 225 Index fell by 0.3% to approximately 45,600 on Friday, ending a three-day upward trend. This decline echoed the losses observed on Wall Street, where stronger-than-anticipated U.S. economic data lessened the likelihood of substantial Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Additionally, global market sentiment dimmed after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs targeting furniture, heavy trucks, and pharmaceuticals. On the domestic front, data indicated that Tokyo's core inflation held steady at 2.5% in September, unchanged from August but falling short of the projected 2.8%. The minutes from the Bank of Japan's July meeting revealed that policymakers may be inclined to further tighten monetary policy if growth and inflation proceed as anticipated. The technology sector experienced significant declines, with notable losses from SoftBank Group (-2.2%), Lasertec (-4.6%), Disco (-5.1%), Advantest (-2.1%), and Tokyo Electron (-3.3%).