Tokyo stocks finished lower Tuesday for the fifth straight day amid concern over the U.S. economy, with the key Nikkei index temporarily falling below 9,500 for the first time since early February and close to an 18-year-low.
The 225-issue Nikkei stock average dropped 203.91 points, or 2.1 percent, to close at 9,501.02 -- its lowest finish since Feb. 6 -- after briefly falling to 9,439.41.
It narrowly avoided hitting 9,420.85 posted Feb. 6, its lowest level since Dec. 14, 1983.