Tokyo: Stocks open down 0.72%

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks opened 0.72 per cent down on Thursday following a slump on Wall Street.

The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 128.82 points to 17,666.91 at the start.

Wall Street stocks Wednesday finished a volatile session sharply lower as worries about the strong dollar and falling oil prices outweighed some positive earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 1.13 per cent to 17,191.37, while the broad-based S&P 500 slumped 1.35 per cent to 2,002.16.

The dollar changed hands at 117.46 yen early Thursday against 117.53 yen in New York late Wednesday.

The euro fetched US$1.1286 and 132.59 yen, compared with US$1.1284 and 132.62 in New York.

AFP