Nikkei Stock Average falls by 931 yen to 67,470 yen, weighed down by Middle East situation and falling US stocks

On the Tokyo stock market on the 4th, the Nikkei average stock price fell, closing at 67,470.69 yen, 931.44 yen (1.36%) lower than the previous day. The fighting between the US and Iran has once again intensified, continuing the trend that caused major stock indexes to fall in the US market the previous day. In some cases, the decline was more than 1,400 yen.

At the New York Stock Exchange on the 3rd, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is made up of major companies, fell for the first time in six business days. Technology-related stocks and other stocks were sold, and the stock closed at $50,687.07, down $620.72 (1.21%) from the previous day.

U.S. Central Command announced on the 2nd that it had attacked an Iranian ground control station in self-defense. On the 3rd, Iran attacked Kuwait's airport with missiles and drones, causing casualties. Due to increasing uncertainty regarding the situation in the Middle East, the futures price of ``American WTI crude oil'', which is an indicator of crude oil prices, has increased, weighing on stock prices.

On the 3rd, the Nikkei average was bought mainly in AI (artificial intelligence) and semiconductor-related stocks, and its closing price exceeded 68,000 yen for the first time. However, U.S. semiconductor giant Broadcom's sales forecast for its AI semiconductors fell short of market expectations, and its stock price plummeted in after-hours trading. As a result of these developments, semiconductor-related stocks and other stocks sold off on the 4th, and the stock price of SoftBank Group (SBG) fell by approximately 11%. Toyota Motor Corporation's market capitalization exceeded that of SBG, once again taking the top spot in Japan.