Tokyo stocks retreat in morning as yen's strength dampens sentiment

Tokyo stocks lost ground Thursday morning as the yen's appreciation against the U.S. dollar quashed investor sentiment and sent a swathe of exporter-linked shares lower on diminished profit outlooks.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 62.96 points, or 0.39 percent, from Wednesday to 16,020.15.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 3.09 points, or 0.24 percent, to 1,268.89.

Notable decliners by the morning break comprised food, oil and coal, and communication-linked issues. Enditem