TOKYO, Dec 18 — Tokyo stocks opened lower on Wednesday as investors sold shares to take profits despite a broadly positive market sentiment, boosted by positive economic data and a US-China trade deal.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 0.18 per cent or 42.36 points at 24,023.76 in early trade, while the broader Topix index edged lower by 0.14 per cent or 2.40 points to 1,744.80.

“Japanese investors are taking a wait-and-see attitude after US shares advanced only slightly and the yen’s fall (against the dollar) ground to a halt,” Okasan Online Securities strategist Yoshihiro Ito said in a commentary.

“There is no change in the upward trend” of the market over the longer term, he added.

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The dollar fetched ¥109.52 (RM4.14) in early Asian trade, against ¥109.50 in New York.

In Tokyo, steelmakers were among the losers, with Nippon Steel slipping 0.83 per cent to ¥1,724 and JFE Holdings trading down 0.60 per cent at ¥1,491.

Some electronics manufacturers were lower, with Panasonic sliding 0.90 per cent to ¥1,037, Sony off 0.42 per cent at ¥7,423, Sharp down 2.73 per cent at ¥1,747, and camera maker Nikon lower by 1.90 per cent at ¥1,439.

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The market shrugged off Japanese data before the opening bell. Japan booked a trade deficit of ¥82.1 billion (US$750 million) in November.

In New York, the Dow ended up 0.1 per cent at 28,267.16. — AFP