TOKYO, March 23, (APP/AFP) – Tokyo stocks moved slightly
lower in early trading Wednesday, following a weak lead from Wall Street and the deadly Brussels bombings.
US equity markets ended broadly down on Tuesday as airline and travel
company shares took a hit following the chaos in Belgium.
The explosions in the Brussels subway and Zaventem airport just outside the Belgian capital, claimed by the Islamic State group, left around 35 dead and more than 200 injured.
Chihiro Ohta, general manager of investment information at SMBC Nikko
Securities Inc, said that the effect on traders in Asia would be limited.
“Asian markets won’t see a lasting effect from the terrorist attacks in Belgium,” Ohta told Bloomberg News.
“But it’s unlikely the markets will become extremely risk-on.”
Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.22 percent, or 38.22 points, to 17,010.33 about 50 minutes after the opening bell, after surging nearly two percent the previous day.
The broader Topix index of all first-section shares was down 0.27 percent, or 3.70 points, at 1,366.23.
Japan Airlines gained 0.62 percent to 4,170 yen in early deals. The carrier is not operating any direct flights between Tokyo and Brussels, a company spokesman said.
However, All Nippon Airways lost 0.79 percent to 324.6 yen after a computer system malfunction on Tuesday forced it to cancel more than 100 domestic flights, affecting some 16,000 travellers, it said.
The company cancelled one round trip between Tokyo and Brussels on
Wednesday following the bombings, a spokeswoman told AFP.
On Wall Street, the Dow lost 0.23 percent and the S&P 500 ticked 0.09
percent lower. But the Nasdaq gained 0.27 percent.
In currency markets, the dollar fell, changing hands at 112.20 yen against 112.35 yen in New York Tuesday.