Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended Thursday morning trading lower, after investors sold shares to lock in profits from the previous day's gains amid spreading concerns over the Japanese economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 66.88 points, or 0.83 per cent, to 7,972.06. The index snapped a three-day losing streak Wednesday, rising more than 2 per cent to close above the 8,000 level.

But the market sentiment was dampened after a series of sluggish corporate earnings results and by the outlook at home and abroad.

Tokyo - Mitsubishi announced Wednesday that it is quitting the Dakar Rally due to the global economic crisis.

"The sudden deterioration of the global economy made it necessary for the company to focus its resources more tightly, leading to today's announcement," said the carmaker in a statement.

Mitsubishi quit the Dakar, and other cross-country rallying events, as it announced a projected net loss of 60 billion yen (670 million dollars) and an operating profit of
5 billion yen for 2008/09.

Tokyo  - Mitsubishi Motors Corp and Mazda Motor Corp joined a growing number of Japanese automakers Wednesday in predicting losses for the current fiscal year, all dragged down by the yen's rise against the dollar and slumping demand.

Mitsubishi said it expected net losses of 60 billion yen (670 million dollars) for the 2008-09 business year ending in March, the first loss in three years.

Tokyo  - Sharp Corp expected to see an operating loss of about 10 billion yen (111.82 million dollars) in the current fiscal year because of declining sales of liquid-crystal-display televisions, Japanese media reports said Wednesday.

It would be the first operating loss Sharp would report since 1953 when it began disclosing operating earnings, according to the Japanese business daily The Nikkei.

The Japanese electronics company earlier had projected 130 billion yen in operating profit for the year than ends March 31.

Tokyo  - Mitsubishi is showcasing a zero-emission i MIEV Sport Air concept car, built on the basis of the i MIEV minicar already available in Japan, at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March.

Teaser images released by the Japanese car maker show a two-door coupe-style vehicle with pronounced alloys emphasizing the sporty image.

Almost the entire roof is made of glass featuring integrated solar cells, giving the interior plenty of light and extra energy to the lithum-ion batteries positioned in the floor.

Tokyo  - The Tokyo market bounced back Wednesday, snapping a three-day losing streak thanks to overnight rises on Wall Street.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 168.58 points in morning trading, or 2.15 per cent, to 7,994.09.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also up 10.47 points, or 1.35 per cent, at 784.26.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 89.35-40 yen, down from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 89.72-74 yen.