The Tokyo stock market remains caught between crosscurrents stemming from expectations of the positive effects of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reform initiative and fears of further deterioration in the prospects for economic and corporate earnings.
A broad array of issues fell sharply yet again on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at the start of this week, taking the benchmark 225-issue Nikkei average to its lowest level in nearly 17 years.
Specifically, the Nikkei average ended at 11,257.94 Monday, its lowest close since Dec. 11, 1984.
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