Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower in early trading Tuesday, with its benchmark Nikkei stock index falling below 18,000 mark for the first time in over six months.

At 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average plunged 645.75 points, or 3.48 percent, from Monday to 17,894.93, an intraday low last seen on Feb. 13. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange shed 55.85 points, or 3.77 percent, to 1,425.02.

The Nikkei was briefly down more than 4 percent as every industry category on the main section lost ground, with mining, iron and steel and securities issues leading the decliners. Endi

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