TOKYO, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower on Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly falling over 2 percent.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 1,244.76 points, or 1.99 percent, from Thursday at 61,409.29.
The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 15.30 points, or 0.39 percent, lower at 3,863.97.
On the top-tier Prime Market, nonferrous metal, chemical, and glass and ceramics product issues were notable decliners.
Tokyo stocks opened higher following the overnight rally on Wall Street. However, heavyweight technology shares came underselling pressure as investors took profits after recent gains, while earnings results and forecasts from some tech companies fell short of market expectations.
Concerns over rising crude oil prices and Japanese government bond yields also dampened investors' confidence.
Analysts warned that as the Middle East conflict drags on, cost-push inflation could stoke fears of stagflation, potentially putting downward pressure on the stock market. ■
