Japan’s Nikkei poised for fourth weekly loss as Mideast war spurs risk-off mood

TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average fell on Friday, and was on track for a fourth straight weekly decline, as fading hopes for an imminent ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran dampened market optimism and pushed investors into risk-off mode. The Nikkei fell 1.6% to 52,740.09 as of 0035 GMT, losing 1.3% so far this week. The broader Topix shed 0.8% to 3,614.20. US President Donald Trump said he will pause attacks on Iran’s energy plants for 10 days at Tehran’s request, adding that talks with Iran were going “very well.” An Iranian official, however, dismissed Washington’s proposal to end the conflict as “one-sided and unfair,” clouding prospects for de-escalation. On the Nikkei index, 90 stocks advanced while 134 declined.

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