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2026-02-16 15:23:58
[Nikkei Index Closes Slightly Lower by 0.2%, Weak GDP and Post-Election Rally Weigh on Market] ⑴ Japanese stocks trended lower on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 index closing down 0.2% at 56,806.41 points and the Topix index falling 0.8% to 3,787.38 points. Weaker-than-expected economic data and a post-election rally dampened market momentum. ⑵ Preliminary GDP data for October-December showed that while the Japanese economy reversed the contraction of the previous quarter, weak capital spending fell short of economists' median expectations. Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management, said that GDP data should be considered past data, but the Nikkei index's difficulty in gaining an advantage may have a slight impact. ⑶ Ichikawa added that the stock market rally following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's victory in the snap election earlier this month may also have come to a temporary halt. ⑷ In terms of sectors, rubber manufacturers and bank stocks led the decline among the 33 Topix industry sectors. Bridgestone fell 6.5% after its full-year net profit forecast fell short of analysts' expectations. The biggest loser in the Nikkei index was medical device maker Olympus, which plunged nearly 13% due to weaker-than-expected earnings. Major domestic bank Resona Holdings also fell 8%. (5) Among the stocks that bucked the trend, Sumitomo Pharma surged 20.2%, hitting its daily limit, leading the Nikkei index, after the company announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare would review its iPS cell-derived therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease this week. Furniture maker Nitori Holdings rose for the ninth consecutive trading day, accumulating a gain of approximately 28%, closing 9.4% higher on Monday. Credit Saison rose 7.4%. (6) 84 stocks rose in the Nikkei index, while 140 fell.
