Tokyo stocks closed lower Thursday, as a cautious mood prevailed ahead of the conclusion of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting the following day.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 156.24 points, or 0.40 percent, from Wednesday at 38,720.47.
The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 24.66 points, or 0.89 percent, lower at 2,731.78.
Stocks started the day higher, led by semiconductor and technology stocks that tracked record-high close of the U.S. Nasdaq index overnight. But the market soon lost steam as investors refrained from buying ahead of the outcome of the central bank’s two-day monetary policy meeting through Friday, analysts said.
On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by electric power and gas, insurance, and iron and steel shares.
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