TOKYO: Tokyo stocks fell 0.57 percent by the break Thursday, tracking a decline on Wall Street that was driven by disappointment over someUS company earnings and continued concern about eurozone debt.
The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 54.82 points to 9,612.44 yen by the break. The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was down 0.29 percent, or 2.39 points, at 816.88.
Shortly before the markets opened figures showedJapanposted a record fiscal year trade deficit of 4.410 trillion yen ($54.2 billion), with car and electronics exports tumbling, while energy imports soared.
Dealers shrugged off the news, which followed numbers earlier this year showing a record deficit for calendar 2011.
Japanese technology shares suffered profit-taking Thursday dealers said, after tech bellwethers IBM and Intel helped drag Wall Street lower with their shares falling 3.5 percent and 1.8 percent respectively.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.63 percent at 13,032.75.
"Markets still have room to fall, so it would not be surprising to see more profit-taking, especially in sectors such as tech that ran up so well in the January-March quarter," an equity strategist at a foreign brokerage told Dow Jones Newswires.
The dollar firmed to 81.48 yen inTokyomiddaytrade from 81.23 yen inNew Yorklate Wednesday.
The euro bought $1.3123 and 106.98 yen against $1.3120 and 106.59 yen.
Technology shares were lower with Kyocera off 0.13 percent at 7,370 yen, Sony was down 1.00 percent at 1,374 yen and Canon slipped 0.26 percent to 3,810 yen.
ButHitachiwas up 3.30 percent at 532 yen after JPMorgan raised its target price to 740 yen from 590 yen, while keeping an overweight rating.
Nippon Sheet Glass, who Wednesday announced the departure of their American chief executive as they eyed a $37 million loss for the year, was down 6.89 percent at 108 yen.
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