TOKYO (Kyodo) — Tokyo stocks fell Friday, pressured by weaker-than-expected Japanese industrial output data, while some investors locked in gains following recent advances.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 110.32 points, or 0.26 percent, from Thursday at 42,718.47. The broader Topix index finished 14.60 points, or 0.47 percent, lower at 3,075.18.
On the top-tier Prime Market, notable decliners were real estate, insurance and transportation equipment issues.
The U.S. dollar mostly traded around the 147 yen line in Tokyo amid deepening uncertainty about the independence of the U.S. central bank, with Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook suing President Donald Trump on Thursday after he attempted to fire her over alleged mortgage fraud, dealers said.
At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 147.00-02 yen compared with 146.91-147.01 yen in New York and 147.16-18 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The euro was quoted at $1.1674-1676 and 171.61-65 yen against $1.1678-1688 and 171.61-71 yen in New York and $1.1643-1644 and 171.34-38 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond ended at 1.600 percent, down 0.015 percentage point from Thursday’s close, as the debt was bought following a decline in U.S. Treasury yields.
On the stock market, investor sentiment was negatively affected by government data that showed Japanese industrial output in July declined 1.6 percent from the previous month, weighed down by weakness in the auto sector, brokers said.
“Although market players seem to have already factored in the impact of U.S. tariffs to some extent, the data showing a decline was a negative trading incentive,” as they grew concerned about an economic downturn, said Maki Sawada, a strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co.
The market was also dragged down by profit-taking, while exporter shares were sold on the yen’s appreciation, which decreases overseas profits of exporters when repatriated.