(Rewrites throughout)
By Junko Fujita
TOKYO, July 2 (Reuters) - Japanese government bonds tumbled
on Thursday on renewed fiscal concerns, while AI-related
heavyweights dragged down the Nikkei share average after an
overnight tech selloff on Wall Street.
The yen rose sharply against the dollar, with traders alert
to the prospect of intervention to prop up the stubbornly weak
currency.
The 10-year government bond yield rose 7
basis points to 2.77%, the highest since mid-May, after a weak
debt auction highlighted concerns about heavier government
spending.
Japanese bond markets have been under pressure since the
government outlined large spending plans in its latest policy
blueprint this week and called on the Bank of Japan to align
monetary policy with growth efforts.
"There has been a shock wave from the blueprint in the
market," said Katsutoshi Inadome, a senior strategist at
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management.
Inadome said the removal of wording on fiscal consolidation
had revived concerns about borrowing.
Japan said combined public and private investment would
exceed 370 trillion yen ($2.28 trillion) through fiscal 2040 as
it works with the private sector to support strategic
industries.
Investors worry that could mean more borrowing, while the
Bank of Japan may be slow to raise rates as inflation pressure
builds.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 slid 2.5% to 68,733.15,
while the broader Topix ended 0.09% higher, helped by
buying in cheaper shares after recent declines.
Chip-related Advantest ( ADTTF ) and Tokyo Electron ( TOELF )
fell 9.95% and 7.44%, respectively. Memory chip maker Kioxia ( KXHCF )
dropped 13.47%.
"The market is going through a natural correction, where
investors sold technology stocks to lock in profits and bought
cheap stocks," said Kouji Toda, a senior fund manager at Resona
Asset Management.
The Nikkei soared 37% last quarter, marking its sharpest
advance in data going back to 1965.
Of the more than 1,500 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange's prime market, 77% rose, 20% fell and 1% traded flat.
The yen traded near a 40-year low before jumping
suddenly late in the session.
(Reporting by Junko Fujita and Rocky Swift in Tokyo; Editing by
Subhranshu Sahu)