In brief
The Nikkei 225 fell over 6% to 57,385 on Friday, breaking the 60,000 line for the first time since May. Investors blamed overnight losses on Wall Street and tighter AI regulations following the U.S. midterm elections. The move highlights growing global market volatility and domestic economic uncertainty.
The Nikkei 225 index fell more than 6% on Friday, dropping below 60,000 for the first time since May, according to Xinhua and Kyodo News. At 9:30 a.m. local time the benchmark was down 3,692.64 points, or 6.12 percent, to 57,385.26.
Kyodo News reported that the index had declined over 4% in early trading after a modest rally earlier in the week, reflecting ongoing concerns about domestic economic momentum and global market volatility.
Sources said investors reacted to overnight losses on Wall Street and growing worries about tighter artificial intelligence regulations following the U.S. midterm elections. The dip follows a broader trend of market uncertainty.
The broader Topix index also fell, down 185.19 points, or 4.7 percent, to 3,755.20, adding to the sense of a broader sell‑off across Japanese stocks.
Analysts see the fall as a warning sign for investors, suggesting that global economic pressures and regulatory changes may continue to weigh on market sentiment in the coming days.
