TOKYO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks fell for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, driven by profit-taking in recently surging sectors like semiconductors and gaming stocks, including Advantest and Nintendo.
The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, closed at 39,762.48, down 223.85 points, or 0.56 percent, from the previous trading day.
At one point, the index fell more than 500 points, as market sentiment was weighed down by concerns over U.S.-Japan trade negotiations after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about reaching a trade deal with Japan.
Despite the sell-off, real estate and transportation stocks remained firm. In the afternoon, large-cap stocks attracted buying interest, helping the Nikkei recover much of its earlier losses.
The broader TOPIX index also declined, ending 6.03 points, or 0.21 percent, lower at 2,826.04.
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market, 834 stocks rose, outnumbering 728 decliners, while 65 were unchanged. ■
