The Nikkei 225 Index declined 0.47% on Thursday to finish at 64,693, while the broader Topix Index lost 0.41% to close at 3,902, as Japanese equities pulled back from record highs amid renewed weakness in technology shares. Sentiment was further pressured by geopolitical concerns, with investors tracking developments in the Middle East after reports of fresh US strikes on Iran. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had targeted a US airbase, without disclosing the location.
On the domestic front, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda earlier this week cautioned about mounting inflationary pressures driven by higher oil prices, though he stopped short of indicating whether the central bank might raise interest rates at its next policy meeting. Technology stocks led the market decline, with notable losses in SoftBank Group (-2%), Fujikura (-2.4%), Advantest (-2.9%), and Lasertec (-3.4%).
