TOKYO, Nov 5 ― Tokyo stocks closed lower today on profit-taking ahead of key US payroll data due later in the day.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended down 0.61 per cent or 182.80 points at 29,611.57 while the broader Topix index slipped 0.69 per cent or 14.14 points to close at 2,041.42.
“The Nikkei index opened slightly higher following gains by US tech shares, but it soon fell into negative territory as a wait-and-see sentiment grew ahead of the US jobs data,” Okasan Online Securities said in a note.
In Tokyo trading, automakers were lower, with Toyota falling 1.35 per cent to ¥2,035 (RM74.47) and Nissan dropping 2.57 per cent to ¥589.1
Honda tumbled 3.09 per cent to ¥3,409. The automaker said after the market close that it projects net profit of ¥555 billion for the current fiscal year, down from an earlier estimate of ¥670 billion.
Nintendo jumped 3.05 per cent to ¥50,640 after the game giant upgraded its full-year net profit forecast but lowered its annual sales target for its Switch console, as a worldwide chip shortage continues to affect many industries.
SoftBank Group dipped 0.33 per cent to ¥6,209 while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing gained 1.02 per cent to ¥80,030.
Japan's household spending in September was down 1.9 per cent year-on-year after a 3.0 per cent decline in August, according to data released by the internal affairs ministry before the opening bell.
The data did not prompt strong market reaction.
The dollar fetched ¥113.67 in Asian trade against ¥113.73 in New York late yesterday. ― AFP