Nikkei 225 Futures Drop Sharply on Plunge in Open Interest

Nikkei 225 futures on the CME plunged as open interest collapsed by 51,850 contracts to 82,438 as of February 2, 2026, signaling a sharp retreat in market participation. Trading volume cratered to an estimated 68 contracts, down from 27,967 on January 30. Each contract is valued at 500 yen multiplied by the Nikkei 225 index level. The dramatic drop in both volume and open interest suggests waning investor interest or potential deleveraging amid heightened market uncertainty.