Dragged by US Tech Stocks, Nikkei Plunges 1,639 Points

吳吳孟哲 國際財經記者2026-10-30 11:59

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Weighed down by a lower close on Wall Street and weak earnings from Amazon and Intel, the Nikkei 225 plunged 1,639.69 points in early trading, with AI chip stocks falling across the board. The Bank of Japan held its policy rate steady at 1.25%, with markets focused on a possible rate hike in December.

US Earnings Woes Spark AI Spending Concerns

Overnight US stocks closed lower, dragged down by a plunge in Alphabet, while Amazon and Intel shares fell sharply after hours following their earnings releases, souring market sentiment. Intel gave unexpectedly weak guidance for the current quarter, citing slowing personal computer business and manufacturing bottlenecks, with shares crashing 23.03% after hours. Amazon fell 7.30% after hours; although its cloud business accelerated, overall results and revenue outlook missed expectations, with negative free cash flow of $42.4 billion and a forecast for further expanded capital spending next year, intensifying investor concerns over excessive artificial intelligence spending.

Nikkei Tumbles 1,639 Points at Morning Close, Down 3% Intraday

Affected by this, Japanese stocks fell broadly on Friday morning, led lower by chip and artificial intelligence-related shares. The Nikkei 225 closed the morning at 63019.78, down 1639.69 points, or 2.54%, falling as much as 3% intraday. The TOPIX closed the morning at 3951.23, down 1.30%. Investors worried about the sustainability of massive artificial intelligence spending, with selling pressure spreading to semiconductor and related supply-chain stocks.

Chip, Substrate and Passive Component Stocks Slump Across the Board

Popular artificial intelligence stocks fell sharply across the board in early trading. SoftBank Group closed the morning down 6.19%. Among chip equipment makers, Advantest fell 7.02%, Tokyo Electron fell 4.96%, semiconductor test equipment maker Lasertec fell 13.30%, and Kokusai Electric fell 7.07%. Substrate maker Ibiden plunged 15.21%, while memory maker Kioxia fell 8.31%.

Passive component and cable-related stocks also fell heavily. Passive component maker Taiyo Yuden closed the morning down 8.55%, while Murata Manufacturing fell 11.07%. Among fiber-optic cable-related stocks, Fujikura fell 7.01%, Furukawa Electric fell 8.14%, and Sumitomo Electric Industries fell 6.02%. During the midday break, the Bank of Japan announced it would keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.25%, in line with market expectations, with investors watching for clues on whether it will raise rates in December.

FAQ

How much did the Nikkei 225 fall in early trading?

The Nikkei 225 closed the morning at 63019.78, down 1639.69 points, or 2.54%, falling as much as 3% intraday, while the TOPIX closed at 3951.23, down 1.30%.

What US market factors weighed on Japanese stocks?

A plunge in Alphabet dragged overnight US stocks lower, while Intel crashed 23.03% after hours and Amazon fell 7.30% after hours. Intel gave weak guidance, while Amazon posted negative free cash flow of $42.4 billion and flagged expanded capital spending, raising concerns over AI spending.

What was the Bank of Japan's rate decision?

During the midday break, the Bank of Japan announced it would keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.25%, in line with market expectations, with markets watching for clues on whether it will raise rates in December.