TOKYO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened lower Wednesday as European shares declining overnight and financial issues sliding in the U.S. dragging Wall Street lower dented sentiment as investors await comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the end of the week.
As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 131.95 points, or 0.64 percent, from Tuesday to 20,545.27.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 12.99 points, or 0.86 percent, at 1,493.78.
All industry categories retreated into negative territory, with glass and ceramic, nonferrous metal and electric power and gas-linked issues comprising those that declined the most in the opening minutes after the morning bell.
