Tokyo, Jan 18, 2026, 09:22 JST — The market has closed.
- Renesas ended Friday at 2,328 yen, slipping 0.9%.
- The Nikkei slipped 0.3% as investors cashed in on recent gains.
- Traders are eyeing yen fluctuations alongside Renesas’ full-year results due February 5.
Renesas Electronics shares fell 0.9% Friday, closing at 2,328 yen in Tokyo. The stock lagged the broader market ahead of Monday’s reopening. 1
The timing is crucial as the yen returns to focus, prompting exporters to trade the currency once more. Renesas, which serves global auto and industrial sectors, can see even a slight FX shift alter expectations for overseas earnings, especially when positioning is already tight.
On Friday, the yen gained ground after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama mentioned the possibility of intervention, including coordinated efforts with the U.S. Traders also mulled over speculation that the Bank of Japan might hike rates sooner than expected. “We have to weigh the upside in dollar/yen against risks of FX intervention,” said Vassili Serebriakov, FX and macro strategist at UBS. 2
Japan’s Nikkei slipped 0.32% to close at 53,936.17, shedding part of this week’s rally as investors cashed out ahead of the weekend. 3
Global chip sentiment remains volatile. Investors shifted back to the “AI trade” following solid earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, with an eye on upcoming tech reports next week, Intel among them. 4
Renesas swung between 2,325.5 yen and 2,388.0 yen on Friday, with roughly 9.1 million shares trading hands, based on exchange data from Yahoo Finance. 5
The company produces microcontrollers and system-on-chip products—chips that integrate several functions onto one silicon piece—targeting automakers as well as industrial and IoT clients, per its profile. 6
Investors have a key date ahead: Renesas is set to release its full-year results for the fiscal year ending December 2025 on Feb. 5. The company has made it clear it won’t discuss the numbers before that. 7
The path remains uncertain. A sudden move in the yen — triggered by official intervention or a sharper shift in rate expectations — could swiftly reverse the trade. Chip stocks also risk gapping on overseas news while Tokyo markets are closed.
Traders will be focused on currency headlines in the next session and whether chip stocks continue to act as a stand-in for broader macro trends. Renesas faces its next major catalyst on Feb. 5.
