TOKYO, March 6 ― Tokyo stocks ended the morning session more than three per cent lower on today, as worries over the spread of the new coronavirus intensified, pushing the yen higher against the dollar.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 was down 3.17 per cent or 676.57 points at 20,652.55 at the midday break, while the broader Topix index was down 3.18 per cent or 48.13 points at 1,467.58.

The dollar dipped to below ¥106 (RM4.18) in Tokyo morning hours and "that prompted further sell orders”, Yoshihiro Ito, chief strategist at Okasan Online Securities, said in a commentary.

Expectations that the Bank of Japan would move to expand buying of exchange trade funds to support the market prompted some bargain-hunting purchases in early trade "but disappointed investors are now selling” as no such move by the central bank was seen, he added.

The dollar fetched ¥105.90 in Tokyo, against ¥106.14 in New York late yesterday, where the Dow ended down 3.6 per cent on fears of the virus's spread in the United States. ― AFP