Japan Shares Drop in Cautious Atmosphere Regarding Market Expectations

Japanese stocks fell slightly Thursday, February 18th as investors turned to caution about the continuation of the recent rally that lifted the market above 30,000 points, but strong gains in Fast retailer operating the Uniqlo apparel chain limited the decline.

The benchmark Nikkei index fell 0.19% to 30,236.09 points, losing early gains, and the broader Topix index fell 1% to 1941.91 points.

Earlier in the week, the Nikkei index regained its rise to 30,000 points for the first time since 1990, amid growing expectations for an economic recovery.