Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks inched downward Thursday as investors stayed away from buying ahead of the expected release of corporate earnings reports.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 40.66 points, or 0.47 per cent, to 8,686.64.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 2.36 points, or 0.28 per cent, at 827.6.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 98.01-06 yen, down from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 98.15-16 yen.

The euro traded at 1.3001-06 dollars, up from late Wednesday's quote of 1.2927-28 dollars, and at 127.46-51 yen, up from 126.88-92 yen. (dpa)