Japanese stocks fall amid selling of blue-chip exporter shares

Japanese stocks retreated moderately Tuesday as blue-chip exporters like Honda Motor dipped on profit-taking following recent gains.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 79.07 points, or 0.45 percent, to finish at 17,664.69 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On Monday, the index rose 1.48 percent to a six-week high.

Losers included Honda Motor Co., which lost 2.15 percent to 4,100 yen (US$34.45), and Sony Corp., which slipped 0.47 percent to 6,410 yen (US$53.87).

Technology and telecommunication stocks also declined, with Elpida Memory Inc. shedding 1.96 percent to 5,000 yen (US$42.02).

The broader Topix index, which includes all shares on the Tokyo exchange's first section, lost 2.41 points, or 0.14 percent, to 1,735.69. The Topix added 1.22 percent the previous day.

In currency dealings, the U.S. dollar was trading at 119.02 yen at 2:50 p.m. (0550 GMT) Tuesday, down from 119.29 yen late Monday in New York. The euro rose to US$1.3420 from US$1.3360.