The morning Nikkei average fell back, wary of Middle East situation and US port strikes, although the decline was limited.
In the morning session of the Tokyo stock market, the Nikkei average fell to 30,137.76 yen, down 638.21 yen from the previous trading day. There was simmering caution towards the escalating situation in the Middle East and the economic impact of port strikes on the US East Coast. On the other hand, after the round of selling, there was consolidation at low levels and signs of limited decline were observed.
The Nikkei average opened 515 yen lower. In the previous day's US market, stock prices fell due to the aversion caused by Iran's missile launch towards Israel. Concerns also exist about a potential resurgence of inflation if the port strikes on the US East Coast and Gulf Coast lead to stagnation in a wide range of logistics activities from food to automobiles. The slight strengthening of the yen compared to the previous day also weighed on investor sentiment.