Tokyo stocks close lower

TOKYO (AFP/APP): Tokyo stocks closed lower on Tuesday as profit-taking weighed on the market.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.3 percent, or 106.77 points, to 38,363.61, while the broader Topix index ended down 0.3 percent, or 7.39 points, at 2,632.30.
“With a dearth of clues for trade after the US market was closed on Monday, trade was mixed with profit-taking of shares that have risen and bargain-hunting of shares that are expected to rise further,” Iwai Cosmo Securities said.

“A wait-and-see attitude is growing ahead of earnings report of” US chip giant Nvidia, Daiwa Securities said. The dollar fetched 150.39 yen in Asian trade, against 150.17 yen in London on Monday.

In Tokyo, chip-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron dropped 0.43 percent to 34,650 yen and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest fell 1.02 percent to 6,727 yen.

Nintendo, which tumbled 5.83 percent in the previous session after reports said its next-generation console would be delayed, ended down 1.11 percent at 8,263 yen.
Market heavyweight and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing fell 0.86 percent to 41,700 yen.

Toyota, which was higher in early trade, slipped 0.47 percent to 3,414 yen.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, which was also higher in early trade, ended down 0.67 percent at 1,487.5 yen.