TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese stock market is trading modestly lower on Wednesday, reversing some of the gains in the previous two sessions, despite the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight. The Nikkei 225 is falling below the 52,350 level, with weakness across most sectors led by exporters and technology stocks.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index is down 186.31 or 0.35 percent at 52,331.77, after hitting a low of 53,112.24 earlier. Japanese stocks ended sharply higher on Tuesday.
Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is edging down 0.4 percent and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is losing more than 2 percent. Among automakers, Honda is down 2.5 percent and Toyota is also losing 2.5 percent.
In the tech space, Advantest is losing more than 1 percent, while Screen Holdings is edging up 0.4 percent and Tokyo Electron is advancing almost 3 percent.
In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial is declining more than 1 percent, Mizuho Financial is edging down 0.1 percent and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial is losing almost 1 percent.
Among the major exporters, Mitsubishi Electric and Canon are losing almost 1 percent each, while Panasonic is down almost 2 percent and Sony is slipping more than 3 percent.
Among other major losers, Tokyo Electric Power is tumbling almost 5 percent, while Sapporo Holdings, Inpex and Ryohin Keikaku are losing more than 4 percent each. Aeon is slipping almost 4 percent, while ENEOS Holdings, Suzuki Motor, Hino Motors, Daikin Industries and Nintendo are down more than 3 percent each. Yokohama Rubber, Kajima, Mitsubishi Estate and Idemitsu Kosan are declining almost 3 percent each.
Conversely, Takashimaya is soaring more than 7 percent, Ebara is surging more than 6 percent and Ibiden is jumping more than 4 percent, while Resonac Holdings, Mitsui Kinzoku and Sumitomo Metal Mining are gaining almost 4 percent each. Disco, Renesas Electronics and Hoya are advancing more than 3 percent each. Sumco and Recruit Holdings are adding almost 3 percent each.
In economic news, Japan's S&P Global Services PMI eased to 51.6 in December 2025, below the preliminary estimate of 52.5 and November's reading of 53.2. It marked the lowest level since May 2025 and a ninth straight month of increase in services activity.
In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the higher 156 yen-range on Wednesday.
On the Wall Street, stocks saw further upside during trading on Tuesday after turning in a strong performance to kick off the first full trading week of the New Year. With the continued upward move, the Dow and the S&P 500 reached new record closing highs.
The major averages ended the day just off their highs of the session. The Dow jumped 484.90 points or 1.0 percent to 49,462.08, the Nasdaq climbed 151.35 points or 0.7 percent to 23,547.17 and the S&P 500 rose 42.77 points or 0.6 percent to 6,944.82.
The major European markets have also moved to the upside on the day. While the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index jumped by 1.2 percent, the French CAC 40 Index rose by 0.3 percent and the German DAX Index crept up by 0.1 percent.
Crude oil prices tumbled on Tuesday as investors booked profits while analyzing the consequences of Saturday's swift U.S. military operation in Venezuela on global oil supply. West Texas Intermediate crude for February delivery was down $1.11 or 1.90 percent at $57.21 per barrel.
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