Tokyo  - Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average on Monday dropped to its lowest closing level in more than 26 years on concerns over prospects of the global financial industry and the domestic economy.

The benchmark Nikkei index fell 87.07 points, or 1.21 per cent, to close at 7,086.03.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also down 10.86 points, or 1.51 per cent, to 710.53.

On currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar traded at 98.32-37 yen, up from Friday's 5 pm quote of 97.35-37 yen.

Tokyo  - Japan saw the first current-account deficit in 13 years and a record amount in January as the trade balance widened due to declining exports, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

Japan's deficit amounted to 172.8 billion yen (1.76 billion dollars) in January, compared to surplus of 1.16 trillion yen in the same month a year before.

Goods and services trade logged a record deficit of 1.1 trillion yen.

In goods' trade, Japan saw a deficit of 844.4 billion yen, compared to surplus of 71.3 billion yen a year earlier.

Tokyo  - The Tokyo market ended morning trading lower Monday on worries about the US financial sector.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 57.91 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 7,115.19.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also down 10.22 points, or 1.42 per cent, to 711.17.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 97.94-99 yen, up from Friday's 5 pm quote of 97.35-37 yen.

Tokyo  - Caught in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the end of World War II, Japan's political landscape looks a mess.

Taro Aso, leader of the world's second-largest economy and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are widely regarded as unable to lead Japan out of the slump.

Verbal gaffes and the recent resignation of his finance minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, who appeared to be drunk during a Group of Seven press conference sent Aso's support ratings below 10 per cent.

Tokyo - Japan's foreign exchange reserves dropped 1.6 billion dollars in February after the US Treasury bond prices and the appraisal value of the nation's euro-dominated assets fell, the Finance Ministry said Friday.

The nation's foreign reserves fell for the second month in a row but remained barely above the 1-trillion-dollar level with 1.0093 trillion dollars.

As of the end of February, Japan held 892.34 billion dollars in foreign securities, while foreign currency deposits came to 87.81 billion dollars.

Tokyo  - Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost more than 3 per cent Friday after Wall Street plunged overnight and the yen advanced against the US dollar.

The Nikkei index dropped 228.54 points, or 3.07 per cent, to 7,204.95 after it gained nearly 2 per cent the previous day on hopes in China's expected economic stimulus measures.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also down 16.45 points, or 2.22 per cent, to 725.1.