Tokyo stocks were mixed Friday morning after hitting record highs in early trading, as buying tracking overnight rises in major European markets was offset by selling to lock in gains.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average climbed 137.84 points, or 0.34 percent, from Thursday to 41,051.49. The broader Topix index was down 3.05 points, or 0.11 percent, at 2,895.42.
The U.S. dollar fell slightly to the upper 160 yen range in Tokyo on selling by domestic exporters for settlement purposes, while a wait-and-see mood prevailed ahead of the release of a key U.S. employment report later in the day.
At noon, the dollar fetched 160.96-97 yen compared with 161.05-08 yen in London at 4 p.m. and 161.27-29 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The euro was quoted at $1.0816-0820 and 174.09-17 yen against $1.0794-0795 and 174.08-12 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon. U.S. financial markets were closed Thursday for a national holiday.
On the stock market, both the Nikkei and Topix indexes notched fresh all-time highs in early trading before retreating to around the previous day's closing levels.
A lack of fresh cues due to the closure of U.S. financial markets overnight and caution before the upcoming U.S. nonfarm payrolls report added to the directionless trading, analysts said.
Hopes for favorable corporate profits ahead of the earnings season on the back of the yen's depreciation drove record closing highs the previous day, the first for the Topix since December 1989 and the first for the Nikkei in around three months.
