[Nikkei Average Stock Price・TOPIX (Table)]
Nikkei Average; 39589.65; +132.16
TOPIX; 2742.39; +4.06
[Market Opening Overview]
On the 17th, the Nikkei Average opened with a gain of 132.16 yen at 39589.65, rebounding for the first time in three days. The US stock market on the previous day, the 16th, was mixed. The Dow fell by 110.58 dollars to 43717.48 dollars, while the Nasdaq rose by 247.17 points to close at 20173.89. Expectations for additional rate cuts at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting mid-week led to a slight rise after the opening. The December services PMI showed a high level not seen in about three years, indicating an acceleration in the pace of expansion, which was favorably received, and the gains extended. However, the persistently declining Dow put pressure on the upper limit, leading to a slight drop. On the other hand, the Nasdaq, driven by gains in Apple, Google's parent company Alphabet, and Semiconductors company Broadcom, performed steadily and updated its all-time high.
Today, the Tokyo stock market started with Buy trades. Although the Dow fell in the US stock market yesterday, the Nasdaq Composite Index, which has a high ratio of technology stocks, rose by 1.24%, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX), which is made up of major semiconductor-related stocks, rose by 2.06%, supporting the prices of technology and semiconductor-related stocks in the Tokyo market. Additionally, the foreign exchange market is maintaining a yen depreciation and dollar appreciation level at around 154 yen per dollar, which is also supporting the prices of export stocks in the Tokyo market. However, the Dow's eight-day decline in the US stock market has been a pressure on stock prices in the Tokyo market. Furthermore, the high level of US long-term interest rates in the overseas market is another factor suppressing stock prices in Tokyo. Additionally, some traders were hesitant to engage in aggressive buying, wanting to see the results of the FOMC on the 17th-18th and the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting on the 18th-19th, but there was a prevailing sentiment towards buying at the opening. Today, Risekiru <291A> was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth, and Kuroda Group <287A> was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard.
By sector, Other Products, Marine Transportation, Electric Appliances, Information & Communications, and Real Estate saw the highest price increases, while Services, Securities, Commodity Futures, Warehouse Transport, Oil & Coal Products, and Fisheries & Agriculture ranked highest in price declines. On the Tokyo Stock Exchange Main Board, the most traded stocks included Sumitomo Realty <8830>, Socionext <6526>, SoftBank Group <9984>, IHI <7013>, Hitachi <6501>, Fujikura <5803>, Chugai Pharmaceutical <4519>, Sanrio <8136>, Kawasaki Heavy <7012>, Mitsubishi Heavy <7011>, Disco <6146>, HOYA <7741>, and Advantest <6857>, all of which saw increases. On the other hand, SHIFT <3697>, Astellas Pharma <4503>, Tokyo Metro <9023>, Kansai Electric <9503>, Recruit HD <6098>, Bridgestone Corporation Unsponsored ADR <5108>, Mitsui & Co. <8031>, Nissan <7201>, Hulic <3003>, Mitsubishi UFJ <8306>, Fast Retailing <9983>, and Skylark <3197> declined.
