AUTHOR javno100



MARKETS-JAPAN-STOCKS

JANUARY 8 2009 08:09h

Nikkei Dips 2.3 Pct As Techs, Oil Tumble

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The benchmark Nikkei shed 212.50 points to 9,026.74, at one point falling more than 3 percent to edge below 9,000.

Japan's Nikkei average looked set to snap a seven-day winning streak on Thursday, sliding 2.3 percent after surprisingly weak U.S. jobs data and an Intel Corp revenue warning renewed fears about the U.S. economy. Kyocera Corp and other tech shares bought up over the past few days dropped, along with carmakers, while oil-linked shares tumbled after oil prices plunged more than 12 percent on Wednesday on an unexpected rise in crude inventories.

The benchmark Nikkei shed 212.50 points to 9,026.74, at one point falling more than 3 percent to edge below 9,000 and looked likely to end its longest winning streak since March-April 2006. The broader Topix fell 1.7 percent to 872.80.