ZCZC
BCN-07
STOCKS-MARKETS-JAPAN-OPEN
Tokyo stocks open lower amid uncertainty
TOKYO, Nov 16, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Tokyo stocks opened lower on Friday in
uncertain trade as investors sought fresh clues after US shares surged out of
the red.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 0.18 percent or 39.45 points at
21,764.17 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.08 percent
or 1.34 points at 1,637.63. But both indexes soon edged into positive
territory.
“Japanese shares may see some buying following a rally in New York, but it
is hard to predict a direction during later trade,” Okasan Online Securities
said in a commentary.
“Short-term investors may dominate the market and prices may show some
volatile movement,” it added.
Investors are cautious due partly to uncertainty over Brexit, and simmering
trade tensions, analysts said.
The dollar fetched 113.54 yen in early Asian trade, against 113.64 yen in
New York.
In Tokyo, Tokyo Electron was down 2.06 percent at 14,730 yen and Takeda
Pharmaceutical was down 2.34 percent at 4,304 yen but market heavyweight Fast
Retailing, the Uniqlo casual wear operator, was up 0.20 percent at 59,430
yen.
In New York, the benchmark Dow rose 0.8 percent, swinging 500 points from
the low point of the day to close at 25,290.39.
BSS/AFP/HR/0920