Tokyo shares end lower on profit-taking

Tokyo stocks ended Wednesday lower as selling offset buying after recent gains, with the market's benchmark Nikkei index closed at a one-week low.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 111.56 points, or 0. 59 percent, from Tuesday to 18,703.60.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 9.82 points, or 0.64 percent, at 1, 517.01.

The decliners were led by metal products, insurance and banks.

The turnover was about 2,314.2 billion yen (about 19.32 billion U.S. dollars). Endi