Tokyo – Saba:
Japanese stock indices ended lower on Friday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the country's Upper House elections scheduled for early next week.
The broader Topix index dropped by 0.19% to close at 2,834.48 points. Advantest, a leading manufacturer of semiconductor testing equipment, was the biggest loser on the index, plunging 4.44%.
Disco Corporation also saw a sharp decline, with its shares tumbling 8.79%, following quarterly operating profit forecasts that fell short of market expectations.
According to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei 225 index, which includes 225 listed companies, closed the session down 0.21%, ending at 39,819.11 points.
On the other hand, SoftBank Group, a major investor in the tech sector, surged 5%, becoming the top gainer and providing key support to the index.
Tokyo Electron, a chip equipment manufacturer, also rebounded slightly, gaining 0.29% after early-session losses.
In broader market activity, among more than 1,600 shares listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s first section, 33% advanced, 63% declined, and 2% remained unchanged.
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