Tokyo shares open slightly lower on bargain hunting

Tokyo shares opened down on Friday as pessimistic sentiment brought by drops in the overnight U.S. market was held by buying triggered by bargain hunting.

At 9:15 a.m. local time, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average inched down 1.33 points, or 0.01 percent, from Thursday to 19,469. 79.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was slightly down 2.05 points, or 0.13 percent, to 1,566.77. Endi