Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index falls below 34,000
A person stands in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan’s Nikkei index at a securities firm in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
TOKYO — Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index gave up over 900 points briefly in Tokyo trading Friday morning, dipping below 34,000 for the first time in eight months on an intraday basis.
The drop came after US shares plunged on Thursday following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs.
The Nikkei index was down 905.36 points, or 2.6 percent, at 33,830.57 at 9:47 am local time on Friday.
The 10-year Japanese government bond (JGB) yield, the country’s key long-term interest rate, fell to 1.23 percent in Tokyo trading Friday, its lowest level since February.
Investors moved to buy JGBs, which are regarded as safe assets, after US long-term interest rates fell sharply Thursday amid concerns about an impact from the tariffs.
