Nikkei drops 2.18 percent amid jittery over market direction The Associated Press Published: March 4, 2007 TOKYO: Japanese stocks fell Monday morning with the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index dipping 2.18 percent as traders remained jittery over the course of the markets. The dollar was lower against the yen.
The Nikkei fell 375.61 points, or 2.18 percent, to finish Monday's morning session at 16,842.32 points, marking the fifth straight session of decline.
On Friday, the index lost 235.58, or 1.35 percent, to finish at 17,217.93 points, losing nearly 1,000 points, or 5.5 percent since Tuesday, when the selloff in Asian markets was triggered by a plunge in Chinese stocks.
The broader Topix index, which includes all shares on the exchange's first section, fell 38.50 points, or 2.24 percent, to 1,683.09 points. On Friday, the Topix lost 18.52 points, or 1.06 percent, to 1,721.59.
Traders sold exporter issues such as auto and technology as the dollar fell against the yen.
In currencies, the dollar was trading at 115.86 yen at 10:50 a.m. (0150GMT) Monday, down from 116.75 yen late Friday in New York. The euro fell to US$1.3134 from US$1.3191.