Global Market: Japan’s Nikkei slips after early gains as Nasdaq futures weaken

Japan’s Nikkei share average slipped on Monday after surrendering early gains, as weaker Nasdaq futures weighed on technology stocks ahead of quarterly results from US memory-chip maker Micron Technology later this week, Reuters reported.

The Nikkei ended the morning session 0.05% lower at 66,333.53, after climbing as much as 1% earlier to 67,034.74, its highest level since mid-August. If the trend continues, the index is set to snap a five-session winning streak.

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The broader Topix index edged up 0.16% to 4,135.38.

Investors sold stocks as Nasdaq futures weakened during Asian trading hours ahead of Micron’s quarterly results, due on Wednesday. Market participants also adjusted their positions ahead of the end of Japan’s first half of the financial year.

US semiconductor stocks had gained on Friday, with the SOX index rising 1.4% on strength in artificial intelligence-related shares. However, the softer tone in Nasdaq futures prompted some profit-taking in Japanese technology stocks.

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Among individual stocks, technology investor SoftBank Group gained 2.28%, while chip-testing equipment maker Advantest rose 0.26%. Tokyo Electron fell 0.19%, and memory-chip maker Kioxia Holdings declined 2.33%. Ibiden, which supplies components for central processing units, dropped 4.8%.

Banking stocks supported the broader market. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group rose 0.24%, while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group advanced 1.27%.

Reuters reported that technology and banking stocks are expected to remain key drivers for Japanese equities. However, bank stocks could lose appeal as the Bank of Japan’s policy rate moves closer to its eventual terminal level.

Of the 225 constituents in the Nikkei, 113 advanced, 109 declined, and three were unchanged.

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