Japan Stocks Almost Unchanged

Japan stocks closed Tuesday almost unchanged as investors worried about soaring raw material prices and the U.S. dollar's depreciation.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average slightly increased 0.10 point, or 0.00 percent, to 12,992.28. The Average lost more than 600 points the previous day.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 5.49 points, or 0.43 percent, to 1,265.66.

Although the Nikkei Stock Average recovered the 13,000 line in the morning, it decreased again in the afternoon trading because of uncertainty of U.S. economy and soaring oil and raw material prices.

The Japanese currency was traded in the level of102 yen per U.S. dollar Monday in Tokyo for the first time since January 2005.

Traders said, investors really worried about the fact that the index plunged more than 1,000 yen in a few days, and there is possibility that the index be less than 12,000 line if overseas traders began to sell.

Among the First Section of TSE, 1,097 issues declined, 117 unchanged and 514 increased. Trading volume of the first section reached 2,087.11 million shares or 2.3744 trillion yen. The TSE's Second Section index decreased 24.85 points, or 0.85 percent, to 2,915.17 on a volume of 44.43 million shares.