Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Tokyo markets drop on US concerns

by Elaine Frei

Equities markets in Tokyo were lower on Wednesday as investors worried over the state of the US economy.  The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.5 percent to 16,764.62, while the Topix index fell 0.2 percent to 1,689.60.  The Mothers market of small and mid-caps was 1.2 percent lower to 1,036.58.

Export-focused stocks, which are generally more affected when investors are concerned about economic conditions in the US, were mixed.  Carmaker Toyota (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) added 0.3 percent to ¥7,740.  On the other hand, camera and office machinery maker Canon (TYO: 7739) dropped 2.4 percent to ¥6,070.  Consumer electronics manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6752; NYSE: MC) was 0.4 percent lower to ¥2,295.

The crackdown on interest charges in the consumer finance sector hurt Orient (TYO: 8585) after it blamed a larger than expected net loss in the year to March on having had to repay interest charges which were judged to be illegally high.  The consumer lender fell 13.6 percent to ¥146.

Elsewhere in financial sectors, trouble broker Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06) added 1.3 percent to ¥1,357 on news of a bid from Citigroup (NYSE: C).

The real estate sector added 2.5 percent as a whole, with Mitsui Fudosan (TYO: 8801; NAS: MDSFF) up 3.5 percent to ¥3,270.

Retailer Aeon (TYO: 8267) dropped 3 percent to ¥2,300 after a lowered estimate of operating profits through March as a mild winter cut sales of seasonal products.

 

 

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