TOKYO: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index ended flat on Monday, weighed down by chip-related stocks tracking a muted Nasdaq trade in the previous session, while investors were also cautious ahead of key US economic data due later this week.

The Nikkei was flat at 29,048.02 at the close, while the broader Topix edged up 0.15% at 1,965.67.

The Topix Growth Index slid 0.05%, while the Topix Value index rallied 0.35%.

Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron fell 1.63% and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest lost 1.28%.

Medical service platform firm M3 and drug maker Eisai fell 1.17% and 1.83%, respectively.

Seven & i Holdings jumped 4.47% after the US antitrust authorities ordered 7-Eleven to sell over 200 retail outlets, resolving competition concerns over the Japanese retail giant’s $21 billion acquisition of the Speedway fuel chain from Marathon Petroleum.

Asics, which provides gloves and spikes to major leaguer Shohei Ohtani, tracked a surge in Nike shares to rise 3.68%.

The underperformers among the top 30 Topix names were Daikin Industries, down 1.09%, followed by Itochu Corp, which lost 0.91%.

The index of Tokyo Stock Exchange’s second section rose 0.58%, while the Mothers Index of start-up firms gained 0.87%.