The Nikkei 225 and Topix hovered near the flatline on Tuesday, lacking a clear direction as the yen slid to its weakest level in roughly four decades. The currency’s decline heightened concern among policymakers and kept investors on alert for possible intervention by Tokyo.
Market participants also focused on the resumption of US–Iran peace talks in Doha, Qatar, while softer oil prices helped ease some inflationary pressure in Japan. On the macroeconomic front, Japan’s industrial production rose in May but fell short of expectations, as ongoing tensions in the Middle East continued to threaten supply chains and keep energy costs elevated.
Trading was mixed across the board. Tokyo Electron (+2.2%), Taiyo Yuden (+2.4%), and Fujikura (+3.8%) logged solid gains, whereas Kioxia Holdings (-2.5%), SoftBank Group (-1.9%), and Advantest (-0.9%) ended the session lower.
