Nikkei 225 falls 0.80% to 62189.65 at Tokyo close on Monday

The Nikkei 225 fell 0.80% to 62189.65 at 15:25 Tokyo time on Monday, October 26, 2026. The index lost 503.51 points from the previous close of 62693.16.

What happened

Tokyo stocks started the week with a decline. The Nikkei 225 stood at 62189.65 in the final minutes of trading, against a previous close of 62693.16. That is a drop of 503.51 points, or 0.80%.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange trades in two sessions each day, from 09:00 to 11:30 and from 12:30 to 15:30 Tokyo time. The reading above was taken at 15:25, shortly before the end of the afternoon session.

In currency markets, USD/JPY stood at 156.98 at 06:45 UTC. That is 0.17 above the previous close of 156.81, a gain of 0.11%. The dollar was therefore slightly firmer against the yen while Tokyo shares declined.

Why it matters

The Nikkei 225 is a widely followed gauge of Japanese equities. It covers 225 large companies listed in Tokyo. Its daily moves give a reference point for how markets in Asia start a trading week.

The yen is closely linked to Japanese equities because many large Japanese companies earn income abroad. Moves in USD/JPY therefore often feature in discussion of the Nikkei. On Monday the currency pair moved by 0.11%, a small change next to the 0.80% decline in the equity index.

The weakness was not limited to Japan. In India, stock benchmarks started Monday's session lower, extending the losses of the previous week. The Nifty 50 opened at 22,524.40, below its prior close of 22,600. It then eased to 22,438.70 in early trade, a loss of 161.30 points, or 0.71%.

The Sensex also moved down. It fell to 72,650.62, a drop of 473.21 points, or 0.65%. Its opening level was 72,990.04. Local market reports linked the early losses in India to a crude oil shock and geopolitical concerns. They also noted a 5% fall in the shares of Shriram Finance.

Taken together, the three readings show a day of lower equity prices in two Asian markets. The currency move was modest by comparison. The data do not by themselves explain the Tokyo decline, and the pack of figures for Japan contains no company or policy news for the session.

What to watch next

Attention turns to the opening of European trading, which follows the Asian close. The London morning is under way as this report is written, with USD/JPY at 156.98 as an intraday level.

Market participants will track whether the yen holds near its current level against the dollar. They will also follow whether the pressure seen in Tokyo and in India carries into other regions. The Nikkei 225 will next trade in Tokyo on its regular schedule, starting at 09:00 local time.

In India, the focus stays on how the Nifty 50 and the Sensex trade after their early declines. Oil prices and geopolitical developments were cited in local reports as the main drivers of sentiment at the open. Further moves in crude oil may therefore stay in view for Asian markets in the coming sessions.