Japanese Shares End Lower After Volatile Session
2026-07-22 07:05
By
Jam Kaimo Samonte
1 min. read
The Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.18% to close at 66,115 on Wednesday, reversing gains from earlier in the session as the rally in semiconductor stocks lost steam.
Investors also turned cautious ahead of earnings from major US technology companies, including Alphabet and Tesla, to gauge the outlook for the sector.
Meanwhile, markets continued to monitor rising oil prices as the US carried out strikes on Iranian targets for an 11th consecutive night, while President Donald Trump downplayed the likelihood of near-term talks with Tehran.
Among individual stocks, Tokyo Electron (-0.9%), SoftBank Group (-0.8%), and Fast Retailing (-2.8%) posted notable losses, while Kioxia Holdings (5.3%), Taiyo Yuden (6.7%), and Murata Manufacturing (4%) were among the strongest gainers.
On the data front, Japan’s trade balance shifted to a deficit in June as import growth outpaced exports.