Japan Market Daily | Kabutaro & Friends

On July 17, 2026, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell sharply for a second straight session, closing down 2,694.42 points (-4.03%) at 64,141.12. It fell as much as 4,130 points intraday to around 62,704, marking the 5th-largest single-day point drop on record. The TOPIX also fell 109.58 points to 3,919.21. Following the previous day's US semiconductor selloff, heavy selling hit chip and AI-related stocks including Advantest, Tokyo Electron, Kioxia Holdings, and SoftBank Group. Position-adjustment selling was amplified by the upcoming three-day weekend and a South Korean market holiday, which reduced liquidity in a market closely correlated with Tokyo. Rising oil prices (WTI near $80) amid escalating attacks on Iran and higher US interest rates also weighed on investor sentiment. USD/JPY traded in a range of 162.11 to 162.47. Gold fell to $3,992.10, dropping below $4,000 for the first time in eight months.