Japan stocks fall as chip shares extend losses

Japanese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the Nikkei 225 Index dropping 2.79% to 66,835 and the Topix Index falling 1.45% to 4,029, ending a two-day winning streak.

The decline was led by semiconductor and technology stocks as investors remained concerned about whether the strong rally driven by artificial intelligence can be sustained. Market sentiment was also weighed down by rising tensions in the Middle East, which pushed oil prices higher and renewed concerns about inflation and the outlook for interest rates.

At the same time, data showed US producer prices unexpectedly fell in June, reducing expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Major technology stocks, including Kioxia Holdings, Tokyo Electron, SoftBank Group, Advantest, and Fujikura, were among the biggest losers.