TOKYO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended mixed Thursday as investors both sold on reignited trade tensions and bought on the back of a softer yen against the U.S. dollar.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average shed 1.38 points, or 0.01 percent, from Wednesday to close the day at at 22,270.39.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 4.45 points, or 0.26 percent, to finish at 1,727.00.
In the morning session, the Nikkei index dropped to a near-month low at one point, owing to investor concerns over whether the United States will intensify its protectionist trade stance, market strategists here said.
As the yen retreated against the U.S. dollar, the market gained support with bellwether firms, including exporters, gaining ground, local brokers said.
Exporters in particular cheer a weaker yen against its major counterparts as their competitiveness is enhanced in overseas markets and profits augmented when repatriated.
By the close of play, air transportation, financial and insurance issues comprised those that declined the most, while mining, metal product and rubber product-linked issues led those that gained the most.
Falling issues outpaced advancing ones by 1,289 to 725 on the First Section, while 78 ended the day unchanged, and on the main section on Thursday, 1,400.40 million shares changed hands, rising from Wednesday's volume of 1,367.13 million shares.
The turnover on the penultimate trading day of the week came to 2,350.1 billion yen (21.29 billion U.S. dollars).
