Japanese stocks fell marginally on Tuesday as treasury yields gained after a rally in oil prices strengthened the dollar, fueled inflation worries, and cemented expectations of a possible Federal Reserve rate hike this week.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 closed down 8.89 points, or 0.01%, at 63,484.10.
Oil prices extended gains after Iran-backed Houthi restricted energy supplies by launching fresh attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure. The widening Middle East conflict has further disrupted global oil supplies, as energy supply via the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb already remains restricted.
On the corporate side, SoftBank (TYO:9434) said it will enter into a strategic partnership with WiseVine to improve the efficiency of local government operations and address the shortage of personnel, according to a Tuesday release.
Also, Ichigo Office REIT Investment (TYO:8975) has a completed a share buyback, acquiring 15,777 shares amounting to 1.50 billion yen from July 21 to Sept. 11, according to a Tokyo bourse filing on Monday.