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.

Tokyo- Japan's trade balance for fiscal 2008 marked the first deficit in 28 years due to rises in commodity prices and slower exports to the United States and other major economies, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday

The nation's trade deficit logged 725.32 billion yen (7.38 billion dollars) in fiscal 2008 that ended in March, the ministry said.

Japan last registered a trade deficit in 1980, when the balance was skewed by soaring crude oil prices.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended Wednesday morning trading down as investors retreated to the sidelines ahead of earnings reports.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 1.7 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 8,709.63.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 1.72 points, or 0.21 per cent, at 829.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 98.50-55 yen, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 98.01-02 yen.

Tokyo- Japan's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of a woman convicted of killing four people and sickening dozens of others with arsenic in 1998.

Masumi Hayashi, 47, was convicted of murder for poisoning a curry stew served at a community festival in the western city of Wakayama in 1998. Four people died including a 10-year-old child and a 16-year-old girl, while 63 others still suffer from aftereffects of arsenic.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks lost more than 3 per cent Tuesday morning on Wall Street's overnight falls and the yen's advance against the US dollar.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 299.06 points, or 3.35 per cent, to 8,625.69.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was down 28.12 points, or 3.31 per cent, at 820.18.

Tokyo investors dumped mostly export-oriented issues, as a stronger yen whittles the earnings of Japanese firms.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks fell Monday morning as exporters were hurt by the yen's rise against the US dollar and concerns spread ahead of earning reports season for Japanese firms.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 85.29 points, or 0.96 per cent, to 8,822.29.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 6.52 points, or 0.77 per cent, at 839.05.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 99.32-37 yen, down from Friday's 5 pm quote of 99.39-41 yen.