Japan's benchmark Nikkei share average fell more than 1% on Friday as a sharp decline in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related stocks offset broader market strength, while SoftBank Group retreated despite reporting quarterly earnings that surpassed market expectations, Reuters reported.
The Nikkei dropped 1.17% to 64,911.99 in early trade, while the broader Topix index edged up 0.04% to 4,057.47. Despite Friday's weakness, the Nikkei was still on track for a weekly gain of 0.8%, while the Topix was up 1.3% for the week.
