Tokyo stocks open sharply lower tracking Wall Street's overnight slump

TOKYO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower Tuesday following a selloff on Wall Street overnight on concerns over the outlook of the global economy.

As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 320.98 points, or 1.49 percent, from Monday to 21,185.90.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, dropped 24.63 points, or 1.54 percent, at 1,569.57.

Mining, oil and coal product, and miscellaneous product-linked issues comprised those that declined the most in the opening minuets after the morning bell.