Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks fell Tuesday as investors sold shares to lock in profits from the previous day's gains.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 16.93 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 9,848.7 in morning trading after the index closed the previous day's session at an eight-month high.

The broader-based Topix index was also down 0.71 points, or 0.08 per cent, at 926.18.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 98.43-48 yen, down from Monday's 5 pm quote of 98.54-57 yen.

The euro traded at 1.3926-31 dollars, up from late Monday's quote of 1.3893-96 dollars, and at 137.14-19 yen, up from 136.93-97 yen. (dpa)