Nikkei 225 closes down 5.96 percent at 57,434.77 points after AI sell-off
Published on 11/06/2026 at 22:53 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSNikkei closes sharply lower
- The Nikkei 225 ended November 6 at 57,434.77 points, down 5.96 percent from Thursday's close.
- The sell-off followed heavy losses on Wall Street and renewed concerns about tighter US regulation of artificial intelligence and data-center investment.
- The index fell below 60,000 for the first time since May and extended its decline to a fifth consecutive trading session.
Japan's Nikkei 225 ended Friday's Tokyo session sharply lower, closing at 57,434.77 points. The index lost 3,643.13 points, or 5.96 percent, from Thursday's close of 61,077.90, according to The Japan Times, which cited Reuters. The result marked the fifth consecutive daily decline and took the index below the 60,000-point threshold for the first time since May.
Technology shares drive the decline
The sell-off was concentrated in technology and artificial-intelligence-related shares. Investors continued to reassess the outlook for companies linked to semiconductor production, data centers and the broader AI investment cycle after a sharp decline in related US equities on Thursday.
Market sentiment was also affected by the results of the US midterm elections. Concerns that a new political balance in Washington could lead to tighter oversight of artificial intelligence and data-center construction added to doubts about the durability of elevated technology valuations and future capital spending.
Sharp reversal after earlier gains
The Nikkei's decline extends a pronounced reversal in sentiment toward technology-heavy Japanese equities. The benchmark had previously benefited from expectations of sustained global spending on AI infrastructure, but the latest session showed how quickly those trades can come under pressure when investors question the pace of investment or the regulatory environment.
The closing loss was substantially larger than the 1.79 percent decline recorded on Thursday, when the index ended at 61,077.90 points. Friday's move therefore represented both a further deterioration in the immediate trend and a broader de-rating of the market's technology exposure. The close also left the index more than 20 percent below its June peak, according to The Japan Times report.
Market focus turns to risk appetite
For investors, the key issue is whether selling remains concentrated in AI-linked companies or spreads more broadly across Japanese equities. The session's scale underlines the market's sensitivity to US technology valuations, regulatory expectations and changes in capital-spending assumptions. It does not, by itself, establish how the index will perform in the next session.
Further coverage of the Nikkei 225 is available on the Nikkei 225 topic page.
