Stock market today: Japan’s Nikkei leads Asian market retreat as Middle East tensions flare
HONG KONG (AP) — Asian stocks tumbled Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei slumping 2.4% on heavy selling of semiconductor-related shares and other market heavyweights.
Tensions in the Middle East were weighing on sentiment across the region, and U.S. futures were sharply lower.
Oil prices jumped as the state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 2.4% to 37,156.54, paring losses in the early trading when it plunged 3.5%.
Semiconductor equipment supplier Lasertec was the largest loser, which lost 8.4%. But most other big tech-related shares also dropped. Renesas gave up 6%, Tokyo Electron lost 8.7% and Sony Group Corp. declined 1.8%.
Toyota Motor Corp was down 2.2%.
Japan’s headline inflation rate slowed to 2.7% in March, the government reported, while the core-core index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, moderated to 2.9%, marking the first time since November 2022 that it fell below 3%.
Related articles
Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Two people were injured when gunfire broke out during a high school gradu2024-05-22Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut dwarfs betting on last year's clinching game in the finals
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Caitlin Clark’s much-anticipated WNBA debut produced record betting, far larger tha2024-05-22A greasy, monumental ritual at the Naval Academy ends after more than 2 hours
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It took Naval Academy plebes two hours, 19 minutes and 11 seconds Wednesday to2024-05-22Ant McPartlin's baby name meaning revealed and Wilder Patrick includes a heart
The meaning behind Ant McPartlin's new baby's name has been revealed.The Britain's Got Talent star a2024-05-22Amal Clooney played key role in ICC bid to request arrest warrants for Israeli PM and Hamas leader
Amal Clooney played a key role in the International Criminal Court's decision to issue arrest warran2024-05-22Noel Edmonds, 75, is spotted wearing ODD shoes on a trip to Isle of Man as eagle
Noel Edmonds was spotted wearing completely odd shoes during a trip to the Isle of Man, in a picture2024-05-22
atest comment