TOKYO, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower on Thursday, as the Japanese yen and Japanese government bonds also came under pressure amid a surge in crude oil prices.
The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 632.54 points, or 1.06 percent, from Tuesday at 59,284.92.
The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 44.98 points, or 1.19 percent, lower at 3,727.21.
Wednesday was a Japanese public holiday, with markets shut.
Investor sentiment was weighed down by a surge in benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract, which briefly rose above 110 U.S. dollars per barrel, a roughly three-week high, amid persistent uncertainty surrounding the protracted tensions in the Middle East.
Analysts said Japan's heavy reliance on energy imports makes it particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in crude oil prices, with concerns over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint, adding to the pressure. ■
