Tokyo Stocks Close Friday Down

(MENAFN) Tokyo equities closed in negative territory Friday, as a broad retreat in technology shares — mirroring weakness in their U.S. counterparts overnight — drove investors to accelerate profit-taking following a strong recent run.

The benchmark Nikkei Stock Average, tracking 225 issues, shed 882.57 points, or 1.31 percent, to settle at 66,588.12 — pulling back after briefly plunging more than 2 percent earlier in the session. The wider Topix index finished marginally lower, slipping 2.76 points, or 0.07 percent, to close at 3,949.09.

Heavy selling pressure on semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks was the primary drag on the Nikkei, with investors continuing to cash out positions following the index's record-high close earlier in the week — a milestone that had left many portfolios ripe for profit realization.

Not all signals pointed downward, however. Fresh government data revealing that Japan's real wages expanded for a fourth straight month in April provided a measure of underlying support to the broader market, analysts noted — offering a reminder of the economy's resilient consumer foundation even amid the day's turbulence.

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