TOKYO: Tokyo stocks closed lower on Thursday after Wall Street falls on profit-taking, with investors’ focus shifting to the expected announcement of new pandemic stimulus in Japan. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slid 0.30 percent or 89.67 points to end at 29,598.66, while the broader Topix index inched down 0.14 percent or 2.82 points to 2,035.52.

The dollar rose to 114.17 yen in Asian trade from 104.09 yen in New York on Wednesday. “Losses narrowed in the afternoon session, but shares were sold on profit-taking after the dollar took a breather from its rallies,” Okasan Online Securities said.

“Investors were also discouraged by weak Asian shares,” the brokerage added. Among individual shares, Eisai tumbled 8.97 percent to 7,373 yen, tracking its US partner Biogen’s falls as European regulators signalled doubt over the approval of the firms’ Alzheimer’s drug.

Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing fell 1.22 percent to 74,070 yen while SoftBank Group dropped 2.04 percent to 6,986 yen.