Japanese Shares Close in Red as US Strike on Iran Dents Investor Sentiment
Japanese shares experienced choppy trade on Wednesday to close in the red after heightened tensions in the Middle East after the US' latest strikes on Iran raised concerns among investors.The Nikkei 225 closed down 1.9%, or by 1,237.36 points, to end at 64,179.27.According to news reports, the US launched new strikes on Iran after a U.S. Apache helicopter was shot down in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded to the attack by saying it will not leave any attack or threat unanswered.This has raised concerns about a potential peace deal in the Middle East. The flare-up has also pushed up crude oil prices, denting investment sentiment further.On the corporate side, Nintendo (TYO:7974) shares closed down nearly 7%, after its Nintendo Direct presentation for upcoming games fell short of investor expectations for brand-new titles, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.Also, shares of Seven Bank (TYO:8410) closed reported 98.1 million ATM transactions in May, up 4.5% on year, according to a Wednesday filing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.