AFX: Nikkei falls on profit-taking, Advantest sinks
Japan's Nikkei stock average erased gains to edge down 0.2 percent on Thursday, with exporters that had risen on a weaker yen hit by profit-taking and Advantest Corp sinking over 13 percent after a loss warning.
Drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo dropped nearly 9 percent after U.S. regulators said Indian generic drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories, in which Daiichi holds a controlling stake, had falsified data.
"After Wednesday's rally, investors are looking to take profits, especially in exporters that had risen even prior to that," said Tomomi Yamashita, a fund manager at Shinkin Asset Management.
U.S. stock futures were nearly flat, hinting at a lacklustre performance on Wall Street after shares there sank on Wednesday. .
The benchmark Nikkei shed 14.91 points to 7,446.31, while the broader Topix lost 0.7 percent to 740.81.
