Tokyo - QNA
Tokyo stocks closed the morning session lower Wednesday, dragged down by profit-taking for a wide range of issues, mainly exporters and banking stocks. The Nikkei Stock Average ended morning trade at 9,566.07, down 71.56 points, or 0.74%, falling below 9,600 for the first time since Feb. 28. In early trade, the benchmark index dropped more than 120 points amid profit-taking in response to overnight declines in European and US stocks due to Greece's sovereign debt issue. But after selling ran its course, dip-buying limited the gauge's losses.