Nikkei opens lower as oil-to-chips selloff pattern repeats on August 18

The Nikkei opened near 68,700 yen on August 18, down roughly 500 yen, with selling concentrated in semiconductor stocks after rising US crude prices pushed US equities lower overnight. This oil-up, US-stocks-down, Tokyo-chips-sold channel has driven the Nikkei's sharpest 2026 drops, including a 3,000+ yen plunge on July 28. Today's decline follows the same route.