Nikkei wavers as AI shares slide ahead of Nvidia earnings
Why it matters: Rising Japanese bond yields and Middle East inflation fears added pressure even as Tokyo Electron gained 2.1%.
Japan's Nikkei swung between gains and losses on Monday as artificial intelligence-linked stocks fell ahead of Nvidia results due Wednesday, while rising bond yields and Middle East tensions kept investors cautious. The Nikkei was up 0.2% at 65,900.95 in late morning Tokyo trade after moving from a 0.4% gain to a 0.5% loss. Fujikura dropped 3.5% and SoftBank Group fell 3.3%, while Tokyo Electron rose 2.1% and the broader Topix edged up 0.1%. Investors are also bracing for a possible Bank of Japan rate increase in September as inflation worries build. In wider markets, traders were weighing fresh US pressure on Iran, with oil easing after Washington signaled a tougher sanctions push rather than immediate military action.