TOKYO, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index closed lower on Friday, as investors took a wait-and-see attitude ahead of the U.S. employment data to be released later in the day.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 80.69 points, or 0.26 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 30,994.67.
Meanwhile, the broader Topix index finished 0.32 points, or 0.01 percent, higher at 2,264.08.
Market watchers pointed out that investors in the Tokyo market refrained from making big bets on Friday ahead of the key U.S. economic data, which is likely to influence the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary tightening policy, adding that the market's response to the outcome of the jobs data is likely to be significant.
On the top-tier Prime market, gainers were led by marine transportation and pulp and paper issues, while the main decliners were mining and precision instrument issues.
Issues that rose outpaced those that declined by 1,284 to 507, while 46 ended the day unchanged. ■
