The Nikkei 225 Index dropped 0.3% to around 45,600 on Friday, snapping a three-day rally and mirroring overnight losses on Wall Street after stronger-than-expected US data tempered hopes for deeper Federal Reserve rate cuts. Global sentiment also weakened after US President Donald Trump unveiled new tariffs on furniture, heavy trucks and pharmaceuticals. Domestically, data showed Tokyo’s core inflation rose 2.5% in September, steady from August but below forecasts of 2.8%. Minutes from the Bank of Japan’s July meeting suggested policymakers remain inclined to tighten further if growth and prices move as expected. Tech stocks led the pullback, with steep losses from SoftBank Group (-2.2%), Lasertec (-4.6%), Disco (-5.1%), Advantest (-2.1%) and Tokyo Electron (-3.3%).