The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 156.24 points, or 0.40 percent, from Wednesday at 38,720.47. The broader Topix index finished 24.66 points, or 0.89 percent, lower at 2,731.78.
On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by electric power and gas, insurance, and iron and steel shares.
The
But the dollar quickly bounced back, recovering to the lower
Stocks started the day higher, with semiconductor and technology stocks leading the way following the record-high close of the
But the market soon lost momentum, overshadowed by wariness over the
"(Such a decision) may put upward pressure on long-term interest rates, causing investors to hold back until the
Higher bond yields raise borrowing costs for companies and weaken the relative attractiveness of equities.
Investors were also reluctant to buy as it was unclear whether the Fed's meeting outcome had been completely factored into the
"The U.S. market had only about two hours of trading after the Fed meeting concluded. There could be a different reaction tonight, and investors might be waiting to see how that unfolds," said Horiuchi.
==Kyodo
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