International Recap, June 23: Political Uncertainty and Tech Weakness Pressure FTSE 100 and Nikkei 225

The article reviews broad developed-market weakness, with Japan 225 falling 3.55% to 69,788 as global tech and AI-related selling accelerated. The decline appears driven partly by profit-taking after a strong year, with the index still up 81% over the past 12 months and 37% in 2026. Risk appetite also weakened in Europe, where political uncertainty in the U.K. and softer manufacturing data pressured sentiment. The article notes that the FTSE 100 was down only 0.09% after recovering from a larger intraday decline, helped by banks and defensives. Overall, the piece frames the move as a risk-off session across developed markets rather than a Japan-specific structural shift, with investors watching U.S. tech and Micron’s upcoming earnings for cues on AI and semiconductor demand.