Nikkei closes at its lowest level in a month

The Japanese Nikkei index closed at its lowest level in more than a month on Wednesday, extending losses for the fourth consecutive session, as investors await the Federal Reserve’s decisions later on Wednesday, which may witness a greater tendency to tighten monetary policy.

The Nikkei closed down 1.14 percent at 26,326.16 points, near its lowest level in the day, and this is the index’s longest losing streak in more than three months.

The broader Topix index fell 1.2 percent.

Among the 225 stocks on the Nikkei index, 166 fell and 55 rose, while four stocks witnessed no change.

The energy sector was the worst performer, declining by 3.72 percent due to the decline in oil prices. Financial stocks rose 0.3 percent amid a rise in global bond yields, while real estate prices rose 0.37 percent.

Chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron fell 1.37%. Its counterpart Advantest fell 1.15 percent despite gains in chip-related stocks on Wall Street overnight.