JKB Financial Services Ltd.

As on : 12-Mar-2026

Market Commentary - Foreign Markets
12-Mar-2026 16:48

Nikkei falls as rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions weigh on sentiment

Japanese equities ended lower on Thursday as rising global oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment. The Nikkei 225 declined 1.04 percent to close at 54,452.96 after dropping as much as 2.2 percent earlier in the session, while the broader TOPIX fell 1.32 percent to 3,649.85.

Sector performance was largely negative, with most of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's industry sub-indexes ending lower. Real estate stocks were the worst performers, while mining shares gained as higher commodity prices supported the sector.

Technology stocks also declined, with Advantest, SoftBank Group and Tokyo Electron posting losses.

However, some stocks bucked the broader trend. Kyoto Financial Group surged after raising its annual profit outlook, while heavy machinery makers Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries advanced more than 3 percent.

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