Tokyo stocks retreat in morning as yen's rise on geopolitical concerns stifles mood

TOKYO, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks retreated Monday morning as the yen being driven up against the U.S. dollar as a safe haven currency in times of geopolitical uncertainty compounded a dour market mood and saw export-linked issues pressured.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 57.45 points, or 0.31 percent, from Friday to 18,278.18.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, dropped 0.14 points, or 0.01 percent, to 1,458.93.

Issues that notably lost ground by the morning break comprised metal, bank, and iron and steel-linked stocks.