PomegraNikkei Falls 1.8% After AI Chip Selloff Hits Kioxia
Why did the Nikkei fall 1.8% after the holiday?
Nikkei 225 (^N225) fell 1.8% to 67,777.52 on Tuesday after an AI and chip selloff, with Kioxia (285A) down 13%, as a Chinese memory rival raised fears of falling chip prices.
Key numbers
| Nikkei 225 close | 67,777.52-1.82% |
|---|---|
| Nikkei intraday low move | 67,206.79-2.64% |
| Kioxia (285A) close | ¥15,180-13.28% |
| SoftBank Group (9984) | Down-8.5% (per [4]; other reports ~6.7%) |
| Kospi close | 6,035.36-5.46% |
| Topix | 4,100.67+5.86 pts |
What happened
Nikkei 225 (^N225) fell 1.8% to 67,777.52 on Tuesday after an AI and chip selloff, with Kioxia (285A) down 13%, as a Chinese memory rival raised fears of falling chip prices. Japan's market reopened after a three-day holiday weekend, and investors dumped chip shares after Chinese memory maker ChangXin Memory Technologies reported progress on new products. At its worst, the index was down about 2.6% during the day. South Korea's Kospi index dropped 5.5%.
Why it matters
Kioxia makes the memory chips that AI data centers depend on, so its 13% drop shows how nervous investors have become about the AI boom. If Chinese rivals catch up, chip prices could fall and chip company profits could shrink. The Nikkei fell while the wider Topix index edged up, so the pain was concentrated in a few big tech names.
Who this affects
- MarketbearishHigh impact
- Japanese and Korean investors in chip shares took heavy losses.
- CompanybearishHigh impact
- Kioxia shareholders lost 13% in a single day.
- CompetitorsbearishHigh impact
- SK Hynix and Samsung fell too, down 10% and 7%.
- IndustrymixedMedium impact
- Memory chip makers face fresh doubts about lasting AI-driven demand.
Kioxia vs SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics
| Kioxia285A:TSE | -13.3% | -1.8% | ¥15,180 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SK Hynix000660:KRX | -10.1% | -5.5% | — |
| Samsung Electronics005930:KRX | -7.4% | -5.5% | — |
As of 2026-10-13
How we got here
Tokyo markets closed for a three-day holiday weekend while US chip shares weakened.
Nikkei dropped as much as 2.6% in the session, led by Kioxia.
Nikkei closed down 1.82% at 67,777.52; Kioxia ended down 13.28%.
Kospi closed down 5.46%, its lowest finish since August.
What to watch
- Whether Kioxia and Korean memory chip makers steady after Tuesday's sharp drop2026-10-15
- Fresh news on ChangXin Memory's products and any effect on memory chip pricesQ4 2026
- Bank of Japan interest rate outlook, flagged as extra market uncertaintyQ4 2026
Educational content only. Not investment advice.
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