Tokyo, July 02 (QNA) - Japan’s Nikkei index fell on Thursday, dragged lower by AI-related heavyweights following an overnight tech selloff on Wall Street.

The Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.5% to 68,733.15 points, while the broader Topix index closed slightly higher, up 0.09%, supported by buying of cheaper stocks after recent declines.

Shares of chip-testing equipment maker Advantest and chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron fell 9.95% and 7.44%, respectively, while shares of memory maker Kioxia dropped 13.47%.

The Nikkei index had surged 37% in the last quarter, its biggest gain since 1965.

Of the more than 1,500 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s prime market, 77% rose, 20% fell, and 1% remained unchanged. (QNA)