Tokyo stocks open 0.75 percent lower

TOKYO: Tokyo stocks opened 0.75 percent lower on Wednesday as the yen´s strength hit exporters and after falls on Wall Street.

The Nikkei 225 index slipped 105.54 points to 13,969.71 at the start. Shortly before the opening bell, official data showed Japan´s trade deficit narrowed 7.8 percent on-year in April.

The BoJ is to wrap up the two-day meeting later in the day with few expecting the central bank to launch further monetary easing measures, but all eyes will be on post-meeting comments from bank governor Haruhiko Kuroda for hints about future policy direction.

In currency markets, the dollar bought 101.27 yen early Wednesday, down from 101.32 yen Tuesday afternoon in New York where the yen picked up.

The euro bought 138.79 yen and $1.3700 against 138.82 yen and $1.3701 in US trade.
Wall Street slumped Tuesday on a batch of mostly-disappointing retail earnings and after a US Federal Reserve official endorsed a speedier rise in benchmark interest rates than some expect.