Japanese shares were mixed Friday as export-oriented issues were pulled down by the yen's strength against the euro, but investors picked up cheap stocks after a six-day losing streak, according to dpa. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 4.11 points, or 0.05 per cent, to end at 8,724.12 while the broader-based Topix index was down 1.15 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 746.34. For the week, the Nikkei fell 3.29 per cent and the Topix was down 3.3 per cent. Major exporters fell as the yen stood at the upper-96-yen level to the euro. A strong yen makes Japanese exports more expensive abroad and erodes repatriated earnings. Shares in Ricoh Co plunged 4.89 per cent, Canon Inc shed 1.13 per cent, Honda Motor Co fell 0.88 per cent and Toyota Motor Corp was down 0.5 per cent. On currency markets at 3 pm (0600 GMT), the dollar traded at 79.29-32 yen, little changed from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 79.26-28 yen. The euro was quoted at 1.2200-2201 dollars, down from 1.2210-2211 dollars late Thursday, and at 96.73-76 yen, down slightly from 96.78-82 yen.
