Japanese Stock Indices Close Lower Ahead of Upper House Elections

Tokyo: Japanese stock indices ended lower on Friday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the country's Upper House elections scheduled for early next week. The broader Topix index dropped by 0.19% to close at 2,834.48 points. Advantest, a leading manufacturer of semiconductor testing equipment, was the biggest loser on the index, plunging 4.44%. According to Yemen News Agency, Disco Corporation also saw a sharp decline, with its shares tumbling 8.79%, following quarterly operating profit forecasts that fell short of market expectations. The Nikkei 225 index, which includes 225 listed companies, closed the session down 0.21%, ending at 39,819.11 points. On the other hand, SoftBank Group, a major investor in the tech sector, surged 5%, becoming the top gainer and providing key support to the index. Tokyo Electron, a chip equipment manufacturer, also rebounded slightly, gaining 0.29% after early-session losses. In broader market activity, among more than 1,600 shares listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's f irst section, 33% advanced, 63% declined, and 2% remained unchanged.