In this piece, we explore what the Nikkei 225 represents, its history, the companies that constitute the index, and how to approach trading it. The Nikkei, like all major indices, is also influenced by global economic events. The global financial crisis of 2008 caused a sharp fall in the Nikkei, reflecting the severe economic downturn that followed. In contrast, market-capitalization-weighted indices are less sensitive to stock price changes, as the weights are determined by market capitalization, which is less prone to short-term fluctuations.

• Before the economic downturn came to fruition,  in 1989 the Nikkei peaked at 38,916 points.
• The index hit an all-time high in December 1989 at the height of the Japanese asset price bubble, reaching a value of almost 39,000, but as of February 2020 has never regained those heights.
• As such, you will need to use a third party institution that tracks the Nikkei 225 index themselves.
• The shares included in it are weighted according to price; the index level represents the average of the shares included in it.
• In fact, to give you an idea as to just how artificial the bubble was, in the 15 years prior to 1990, the Nikkei stock index increased by more than 900%.

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Nikkei FAQs

Located in the capital city of Tokyo, the stock exchange lists more than 3,500 companies across multiple industries. This includes some of Japan’s biggest brands, notably Honda, Mitsubishi and Toyota. The Nikkei was established as part of the rebuilding and industrialization of Japan in the aftermath of the Second World War. Constituent stocks are ranked by share price, rather than by market capitalization as is common in most indexes.

Companies with higher stock prices exert more significant influence on the index’s value, even if their overall market capitalization is smaller than other companies in the index. Like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average is a price-weighted equity index. Ranking of companies is determined by stock price, which differs from other major indexes where market capitalization is used in calculations. Although you cannot invest directly in an index, you can gain exposure to the underlying stocks within the Nikkei 225 via an exchange traded fund (ETF). Make sure you follow the live Nikkei 225 price with our interactive price chart, and keep up to date with the latest Nikkei 225 news and analysis.

• As of November 7, 2019 the Nikkei is trading at 23,300.32, which puts the index within 10% of its all-time high.
• When the Japanese government created an asset bubble in the 1980s, stock prices and land values skyrocketed.
• The Nikkei index is one of the most established and respected international stock exchanges.
• The ETF itself operates on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meaning that you have the option of trading it on the open marketplace at your will.

The articles and research support materials available on this site are educational and are not intended to be investment or tax advice. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Investing in the Nikkei offers exposure to major Japanese industries and diversification, albeit with unique risks tied to Japan’s economy and the index’s price-weighted nature. Moreover, given the global reach of many Japanese companies, the Nikkei also offers indirect exposure to global economic trends. Other notable crashes include the dot-com bust in 2000 and the global financial crisis in 2008, both of which were followed by robust recoveries.

Words Near Nikkei in the Dictionary

Tech stocks provided some relief, helped partly by the Nasdaq’s outperformance overnight on Wall Street. JGC Holdings, an engineering company also involved in the oil business, harmonic pattern trading was next with a 5.15% slide. A financial professional will offer guidance based on the information provided and offer a no-obligation call to better understand your situation.

Nikkei also include people of mixed racial descent who identify themselves as Nikkei. Native Japanese also use the term Nikkei for the emigrants and their descendants who return to Japan. Many of these Nikkei live in close communities and retain identities separate from the native Japanese. The Japan 225 index is reviewed once a year at the beginning of October, and is calculated in real-time with updates every 15 seconds. Stay ahead with our best articles, instant updates and exclusive stories in newsletters delivered straight to your inbox. Leading names in Asian business, politics and academia share their expert views on some of the continent’s most pressing and topical issues.

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On the reward side, the Nikkei offers exposure to some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies and has shown strong growth potential in recent years. Similarly, events such as the European debt crisis and the US-China trade war have caused periods of volatility in the Nikkei. For example, the introduction of «Abenomics» in 2012, a set of economic policies implemented by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, helped to drive a multi-year bull market in the Nikkei. Some market participants argue that it provides a more accurate picture of the overall Japanese market performance. The construction sector also plays a significant role in the index, with prominent companies like Kajima Corporation and Obayashi Corporation contributing to the sector’s performance in the index. Their performance can often be indicative of the overall health of the Japanese economy.

These companies play an essential role in the domestic and international consumer markets. The Nikkei, short for Nikkei 225, is a price-weighted equity index and is one of the most recognized and referenced indices of Japanese stocks. We are talking about Nikkei people – Japanese emigrants and their descendants who have created communities throughout the world. The following chart shows the history of the Nikkei 225 in the 21st century, highlighting the major fundamental events that shaped its price.

What is the Nikkei 225 Index? Complete Beginner’s Guide

It is a price-weighted index composed of Japan’s top 225 blue-chip companies traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Nikkei is equivalent to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) Index in the United States. The Nikkei is influenced by a variety of factors, including Japanese economic policies, global economic events, fluctuations in the Japanese Yen, how to invest bear market and the performance of its constituent companies. Nikkei 225 primarily consists of large-cap companies, with the majority having a high market capitalization. Consequently, it mainly reflects the performance of Japan’s most prominent firms. With 500 companies from different sectors, Nikkei 500 offers a more diversified view of the Japanese market.

The most significant crash in the history of the Nikkei occurred in the early 1990s when the Japanese asset price bubble burst. In December 1989, the index reached an all-time high of nearly 39,000 points, fueled by an asset price bubble. The index includes both large-cap and mid-cap stocks to capture a comprehensive picture of the Japanese economy.

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When the Japanese government created an asset bubble in the 1980s, stock prices and land values skyrocketed. When the bubble was at its peak, the TSE accounted for 60% of global stock market capitalization. Much like in the case of other major stock exchanges, the Tokyo Stock Exchange bridges the gap between corporations and investors. Through the use of real-time electronic tracking, the exchange details the current trading prices available on each of the companies it lists. At the height of the bubble, the TSE accounted for 60% of global stock market capitalization.

These criteria ensure that the index is representative of the Japanese stock market and is easily investable for both domestic and international investors. The Financial Times(FT), the global business how to buy busd newspaper, joined the Nikkei Group in 2015. As content partners, the Nikkei Asia and the FT share select articles with their respective audiences and collaborate on joint editorial projects.