As of 13:50, the Nikkei average is down 542 yen. In terms of contribution to the Nikkei average, Advantest <6857>, Tokyo Electron <8035>, and Fast Retailing <9983> are among the top negative contributors, while Chugai Pharmaceutical <4519>, NINTENDO CO LTD <7974>, and NTT Data G <9613> are among the top positive contributors. In terms of sectors, Marine Transportation, Wholesale Trade, Nonferrous Metals, Transportation Equipment, and Precision Instruments have the highest declines, while Other Products and Food Products have increased.
The Nikkei average is trading in a low-price range. In the foreign exchange market, the dollar is around 157 yen and 80 sen, which is about 30 sen stronger for the yen compared to the morning, putting pressure on stock prices. It seems that market speculation about a rate hike by the Bank of Japan in January has also emerged.
