Global Markets Under Pressure: Nikkei 225 Drops 1.06% As SoftBank Sinks 5.40% Amid AI Fears And Bond Market Stress
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Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.06% in intraday deals as renewed concerns over AI investments, elevated global borrowing costs and rising oil prices weighed on sentiment. SoftBank Group led losses, while some Japanese stocks advanced.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell 1.06% to 68,308.92 in early trading on 9 October 2026, while the broader Topix index slipped 0.24% to 4,081.62.
The decline reflected pressure from the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, rising borrowing costs, elevated oil prices, and inflation concerns. Investors tracking the Nikkei live movement saw Japanese equities come under pressure alongside overnight losses on Wall Street.
AI Fears Hit Nikkei 225
Fresh doubts about the sustainability of the AI investment boom weighed on technology shares, putting AI stocks under pressure. As per a report, OpenAI’s annualised revenue was $20 billion below what the company had previously indicated, reviving concerns about the scale of investment flowing into the sector.
SoftBank Group, a major investor in OpenAI, was the biggest drag on the Nikkei 225 index, falling 5.40%. Furukawa Electric declined 4.83%, while Murata Manufacturing lost 4.68%.
Oil Prices, France’s Fiscal Risks Rattle Global Markets
Elevated borrowing costs in the eurozone, partly linked to higher oil prices and concerns about France’s fiscal position, weighed on global risk appetite. Rising oil prices also added to inflation worries.
Japan’s domestic data added to the pressure. Household spending fell 3.1% year-on-year (YoY) in August, pointing to continued weakness in consumer demand amid persistent inflation. The Bank of Japan also flagged cost-driven price increases across consumer goods, reinforcing expectations of further interest-rate hikes this year.
Japanese Stocks See Mixed Performance
The sell-off was not uniform. Nomura Research Institute rose 5.13%, making it the Nikkei 225’s biggest percentage gainer. Baycurrent advanced 3.97%, while Shift gained 3.92%. Market breadth was marginally positive, with 112 index constituents advancing, 110 declining and three unchanged.
The Nikkei index therefore saw mixed stock-level performance despite its overall decline.
Also Read - Stock Market Update 9 October 2026: Sensex Gains Over 200 Pts; Nifty 50 Above 22,300 After Market Opening
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice from Kotak Neo. For compliance T&C and disclaimers, Visit www.kotakneo.com/disclaimer
Vishwa has spent 10+ years across fintech and FMCG doing what most people miss, connecting the dots, catching trends before they trend, and finding the angle nobody else thought to ask about.
At Kotak Neo, she drives content strategy for neoshorts, Kotak News Desk, and Investing Guide, turning market noise into something worth reading.
When she's not decoding markets, she trades charts for canvases, chasing art, painting, and architecture across cities she's yet to explore.
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