TOKYO, Dec 19, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Tokyo stocks opened lower on Thursday with
investors awaiting the result of the Bank of Japan policy meeting later in
the day.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.12 percent or 29.84 points to
23,904.59 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.09 percent
or 1.52 points at 1,736.88.
“After US stocks finished mixed, Japanese shares are seen trading in a
narrow range,” Toshiyuki Kanayama, senior market analyst at Monex, said in a
note.
“Even though no policy change is expected, investors are watching the
result of the Bank of Japan monetary policy board meeting to be announced”
later in the day, he said.
The dollar fetched 109.55 yen in early Asian trade, against 109.59 yen in
New York.
Among major shares in Tokyo, Nintendo was down 0.38 percent at 44,330 yen,
Olympus was down 1.67 percent at 1,674.5 yen, chemical products maker Showa
Denko was down 3.41 percent at 2,917 yen, and chip-making equipment
manufacturer Tokyo Electron was down 1.04 percent at 24,155 yen.
On Wall Street, the Dow ended down 0.1 percent at 28,239.28.