Tokyo: Stocks open down 0.68%

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks opened 0.68 per cent lower on Monday, weighed down by a strong yen and following a slump on Wall Street.

The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 120.10 points to 17,554.29 at the start.

On Friday, Wall Street stocks slid following a disappointing US economic growth report and worrisome data on eurozone inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 1.45 per cent to 17,164.95, while the broad-based S&P 500 sank 1.30 per cent to 1,994.99.

US economic growth came in at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter, well below the 5.0 per cent in the prior quarter, according to Commerce Department data.

The dollar was at 117.16 yen in early Monday trading against 117.59 yen in New York late Friday.

The euro bought US$1.1311 and 132.59 yen against US$1.1284 and 132.70 yen in New York.

A strong yen is negative for Japanese exporters as it makes them less competitive abroad and trims profits when repatriated.

AFP