Japan Market Daily | Kabutaro & Friends

On October 20, the Nikkei 225 extended its decline, closing down 841.28 yen (-1.30%) from the previous day at 64,075.42. The TOPIX also fell 58.27 points to 4,009.21, its first decline in three trading days. Credit concerns over companies that fund AI investment with borrowing resurfaced, and rising long-term interest rates in Europe and the U.S. added to the pressure, leading to selling across a wide range of stocks including semiconductors and banks. In the afternoon, the index fell as low as 63,807.15, with the loss exceeding 1,100 yen at one point. By contribution, SoftBank Group, Tokyo Electron and Advantest dragged the index down, while Fast Retailing, which announced price increases, lifted it by about 122 yen. Twenty-four of the 33 sectors fell; nonferrous metals, banks and insurance declined, while other products, retail trade and pharmaceuticals rose. On the TSE Prime Market, 333 stocks rose and 1,177 fell, and turnover was 6.7992 trillion yen.