Japan stocks open lower after Wall Street rout

Tokyo, Jan 4 (IANS) Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower on Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index tracking an equities rout on Wall Street overnight sparked by Apple Inc lowering its sales outlook and concerns about a global economic slowdown.As of 9:15 am (5:45 am IST), the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 713.49 points, or 3.56 percent, from last Friday to 19,301.28, Xinhua news agency reported.The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 45.93 points, or 3.07 percent, at 1,448.16.The majority of industry categories on the main section retreated into negative territory on the first trading day of 2019, with electric appliance, miscellaneous product, and glass and ceramics product issues comprising notable decliners.Markets here were closed from Monday to Thursday for the holidays.
--IANS vin