Tokyo - Tokyo ended Wednesday trading mixed after strong gains the previous day as investors retreated on concerns over dire earnings forecasts by leading Japanese companies.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average was up 45.22 points, or 0.56 per cent, to 8,106.29 after posting losses earlier in the day.

Most investors had accepted that the outlook for the upcoming earnings reports of Japanese companies for the business year running through March was dire, traders said.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues fell 1.16 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 804.33.

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic Corp is also being hit harder than expected by the downturn and likely to report its first annual net loss in six years, the business daily Nikkei said.

The Osaka-based Panasonic is expected to post a net loss of 100 billion yen (1.12 billion dollars), due to restructuring costs, a price slump for electronics goods and the yen gaining ground against the dollar.

Main Japanese rival Sony Corp also recently forecast it would post an operating loss for the first time in 14 years this fiscal year.

On currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 89.12-17 yen, down from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 90.02-04 yen.

The euro traded at 1.3253-58 dollars, down from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 1.3260-63 dollars, and at 118.14-19 yen, from 119.38-42 yen. (dpa)