Japanese Shares Fall as Oil Prices Rebound

2026-03-17 07:02 By Jam Kaimo Samonte 1 min. read

The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.09% to close at 53,700 on Tuesday, reversing earlier gains as oil prices rebounded on supply disruption fears in the Middle East.

Iran has intensified attacks on energy infrastructure in the region, while most countries have so far resisted US President Donald Trump’s call for support in safeguarding commercial activity in the Strait of Hormuz.

The rise in oil prices has fueled inflation concerns, with oil-importing economies like Japan particularly vulnerable to supply shocks.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan is expected to keep its policy rate unchanged this week amid heightened uncertainty over the Iran war’s impact on the domestic economy.

Tech stocks led the decline, with notable losses from Kioxia Holdings (-4.4%), Fujikura (-4%), Lasertec (-5.2%), Advantest (-2.5%), and SoftBank Group (-1.8%).



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