Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index decreased 2.12% to settle at 63,290 on Friday, interrupting a three-day advance. The downturn was largely attributable to significant selling pressure in technology equities, as underwhelming earnings reports and cautious projections from leading global firms fueled apprehension regarding the longevity of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
Investor confidence diminished as Amazon's stock price declined approximately 7% in after-hours trading, attributable to a substantial rise in projected capital expenditures. Intel shares experienced a significant decline of 23% following the release of a quarterly forecast that fell short of expectations and indications of decelerating demand within the personal computer sector.
In Japan, market participants were anticipating earnings releases from Kioxia Holdings and Tokyo Electron to gauge demand related to artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Prior to the announcements, Kioxia shares experienced a decrease of 7.1%, and Tokyo Electron’s stock fell by 5.2%. Additional significant technology equities also faced downward pressure, with Advantest shedding 5.9%, SoftBank Group declining 6%, and Lasertec dropping 8.8%.
The Bank of Japan maintained its policy interest rate at 1.25%. However, the central bank noted that underlying inflation has ultimately attained its 2% target, fueling speculation that it may contemplate an interest rate increase as soon as December.