Japan's Nikkei share average closed nearly 3% lower on Thursday as chip-related stocks sold off and an escalating Middle East conflict hurt risk appetite, overshadowing record earnings and a stellar outlook from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
The Nikkei ended 2.8% lower at 66,835.54 after falling as much as 3.3% earlier in the day, while the broader Topix slid 1.5% to 4,028.79. Market breadth was negative, with 139 decliners on the Nikkei 225 against 85 advancers and one unchanged.
