Japan Stock Indexes Hover Near 6-Week Highs, PPI Extends Positive Streak In April

Akira Ito
14 May, 2025
Tokyo

Japan's stock market indexes declined and trimmed this week's gains as investors worried about the U.S. trade policy. 

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 0.4%, and the broader Topix index fell 0.6% amid uncertainties about the U.S.-Japan trade negotiations. 

Asia's stock market indexes traded sideways after the initial enthusiasm surrounding the U.S.-China tariff pause faded.  

The Topix index has rebounded about 25%, and the Nikkei 225 Stock Average retraced more than 20% from the tariff lows reached on April 7.  

 

Producer Price Inflation Extends Positive Streak In April

Japan's producer prices rose for the 35th consecutive month in April, the Bank of Japan reported Wednesday. 

The producer price index increased at an annual pace of 4.0% in April, from the downwardly revised 4.2% in March.

The measure of wholesale inflation rose at the slowest pace since December. 

The increase in the measure of wholesale inflation was driven by the slower annual increase in coal and petroleum inflation to 6.6% from 8.8% and in transportation equipment to 1.6% from 1.8% in the previous month, respectively. 

 

Japan Indexes and Stocks 

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 0.4% to 38,019.76, and the broader Topix index decreased 0.6% to 38,019.76. 

Vehicle exporters and semiconductor equipment makers led decliners in Tokyo trading. 

Advantest Corp. jumped 4.5% to ¥7,506.0, Tokyo Electron gained 0.8% to ¥24,195.0, and Disco Corp. soared 11% to ¥37,000.0. 

Marubeni Corp. decreased 0.7% to ¥2,770.50, Itochu Corp. fell 1.7% to ¥7,487.0, and Mitsui & Company fell 0.2% to ¥2,928.0. 

Nippon Yusen KK fell 1.2% to ¥5,070.0, Mitsui O.S.K. Ltd. decreased 1.7% to ¥4,992.0, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. declined 0.2% to ¥2,110.50.