Tokyo shares end lower ahead of key data

Tokyo shares ended the trading Monday sharply lower as investors here maintained cautions ahead of a series of economic data due out later this week.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average plunged 235.40 points, or 1. 32 percent, from Friday at 17,645.11.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 15.14 points, or 1.04 percent, to 1,438. 67.

Decliners were led by pulp and paper, iron and steel and wholesale trade issues.

The turnover was about 2,187.0 billion yen (about 18.17 billion U.S. dollars). Endi