Nikkei 225 Drops 0.9% to 60,843 as Tech Stocks Lead Pullback From Record Highs

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 0.9% to 60,843.09 on May 18, 2026, with technology-related stocks leading the decline, per Asahi Shimbun. The pullback came after the index reached all-time intraday highs the prior week. The Nikkei has gained roughly 4,500 points since its February 9 record close of 56,363.94, which followed a 3.9% surge tied to Sanae Takaichi's election win. Tech's heavy weighting in the index makes it sensitive to shifts in U.S. semiconductor and software trading.