Tokyo stocks open lower on ex-dividend selling

Tokyo stocks opened lower Thursday as investors sold shares of companies whose business year ends this week after securing rights for dividend payments.

In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 95.29 points, or 0.34 percent, from Wednesday to 27,788.49. The broader Topix index was down 12.24 points, or 0.61 percent, at 1,983.24.

Decliners were led by marine transportation, oil and coal product, and farm and fishery product shares.

At 9 a.m., the U.S. dollar fetched 132.53-56 yen compared with 132.84-94 yen in New York and 131.97-99 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Wedn...