Nikkei 225 falls 0.33% as Kioxia weighs on Tokyo stocks
Published on 11/02/2026 at 13:42 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSNikkei closes lower on tech concerns
- The Nikkei 225 fell 208.25 points, or 0.33 percent, in the Nov. 2 Tokyo session.
- Kioxia dropped 15.78 percent after its outlook disappointed investors, while Tokyo Electron and Panasonic limited the decline with stronger forecasts.
- Weakness followed a selloff in US technology shares and renewed questions about the pace and sustainability of artificial-intelligence investment.
The Nikkei 225 ended the Nov. 2 Tokyo session at 63,081.86, down 208.25 points, or 0.33 percent. The close extended the index's decline after a volatile session in which technology shares remained under pressure. JIJI Press reported the closing level and point change for Nov. 2.
Kioxia weighs on the benchmark
The main drag was Kioxia Holdings, whose shares fell 15.78 percent after the memory-chip maker's outlook for the quarter through December fell short of investor expectations. The company cited continued data-center demand but projected broadly flat quarterly operating profit, adding to concerns that the rapid growth associated with AI infrastructure could moderate.
According to The Economic Times, Kioxia was the largest source of pressure after its earnings outlook disappointed, while banking stocks also weakened. The report said the market was still digesting the previous week's decline in US technology shares and weaker-than-expected results from some US companies.
Positive earnings provide a counterweight
The losses were moderated by gains in selected semiconductor and electronics companies. Tokyo Electron advanced 5.11 percent after forecasting a 50 percent increase in annual group net profit, according to The Economic Times. Panasonic Holdings rose 5.16 percent after raising its full-year operating-profit forecast by 20 percent to 710 billion yen, with stronger AI-related demand among the factors supporting the improved outlook.
Market breadth nevertheless remained weak: 2,490 Tokyo Stock Exchange shares fell, compared with 1,044 advancers, while 205 were unchanged, according to Investing.com. The figures point to broad participation in the decline rather than an isolated move in the index's largest technology constituents.
Investors reassess the AI trade
The session underscored the market's sensitivity to expectations rather than headline earnings growth alone. Kioxia's outlook still implied substantial business activity, but its failure to match elevated forecasts triggered heavy selling. By contrast, companies delivering clearer upgrades or stronger profit guidance attracted buyers.
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