HONG KONG (AP) — Asian stocks tumbled Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei slumping 2.4% on heavy selling of semiconductor-related shares and other market heavyweights. Tensions in the Middle East were weighing on sentiment across the region, and U.S. futures were sharply lower. Oil prices jumped as the state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 2.4% to 37,156.54, paring losses in the early trading when it plunged 3.5%. Semiconductor equipment supplier Lasertec was the largest loser, which lost 8.4%. But most other big tech-related shares also dropped. Renesas gave up 6%, Tokyo Electron lost 8.7% and Sony Group Corp. declined 1.8%. Toyota Motor Corp was down 2.2%. Japan’s headline inflation rate slowed to 2.7% in March, the government reported, while the core-core index, excluding fresh food and energy costs, moderated to 2.9%, marking the first time since November 2022 that it fell below 3%. |
Pixie Geldof displays her legs in a thighMajor agricultural firm sues California over farmworker unionization lawWhat Joan Rivers would have REALLY said about Taylor Swift and Travis KelceTexas A&MKatharina Wagner will lead the Bayreuth Festival for 5 more yearsSurvey finds 8,000 women a month got abortion pills despite their states' bans or restrictionsSports betting: Bettors turn to WNBA this year, mainly because of Caitlin Clark's arrivalWhat WERE the hidden meanings in Meghan's Nigerian wardrobe and which ones did YOU miss?Scarred by war, Nigeria’s wounded soldiers fought to recover at Prince Harry's Invictus GamesAnya Taylor