Nikkei index closed lower ahead of US, Japanese central bank ‎meetings

Japan’s Nikkei index fell today, Monday, tracking declines on Wall Street in the previous session and affected by caution ahead of the meetings of the Japanese and American central banks.

According to Reuters, the Nikkei index closed down 0.95 percent at 30,696.96 points, while the broader Topix index closed down 1.04 percent at 2,231.24 points.

“The Nikkei index fell due to the losses of the Dow Jones index at the end of last week,” said Shoichi Arisawa, general manager of the investment research department at Iwaikosmo Securities. Investors hesitated to buy stocks as they await policy decisions at the meetings of the central banks in the United States and Japan.”

Economists in a Reuters poll expected that the Federal Reserve (the US central bank) would keep the key interest rate unchanged on November 1, and it would likely wait longer than previously thought before cutting interest rates.

Hino Motors shares fell 18.67% to 435.2 yen, slightly above its daily minimum, after the automaker announced an annual net loss, violating expectations of recording profits.

The auto industry index fell 2.83%, recording the largest losses among 33 sector indices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with Toyota Motor shares declining 2.44%. Omron shares also fell to the daily minimum, falling 15.83% after the healthcare equipment manufacturer lowered its annual profit expectations.