TOKYO: Tokyo stocks touched two-week lows in early trade on Wednesday following an overnight fall on Wall Street as European debt problems troubled investors.
The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange opened down 39.04 points, or 0.46 percent, at 8,513.77.
The benchmark index expanded the loss to 0.70 percent in the following few minutes, briefly falling below the 8,500 mark for the first time since November 30.
Sentiment is bearish with the euro's weakness against the yen and caution over potential downgrades to European debt, Hiroichi Nishi, general manager of equity division at SMBC Nikko Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires.
US stocks gave up early gains in late trade Tuesday after the International Monetary Fund warned Greece's economy was facing deep risks and the Federal Reserve refrained from providing any new spark for the economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.55 percent to 11,954.94.
The euro traded at $1.3035 and 101.62 yen in early Asian trade, compared with $1.3033 and 101.66 in New York late Tuesday.
It was the first time since early January that the single currency shared by 17 nations has fallen below $1.31.
The dollar held firm against the yen, trading at 77.94 yen against 78.00 yen in New York.
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