Traders in Tokyo and elsewhere pocketed gains Thursday after the recent strong performance of Asian stocks, pulling down many of the region's markets, ap reported. Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 98.49 points, or 0.82 percent, to close at 11,981.80 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Traders sold technology and banking stocks after the Nikkei hit a 15-month high Wednesday. Advantest Corp., Canon Inc., Tokyo Electron Ltd. and banks like Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and UFJ Holdings Inc. fell. Uncertainty over Japan's postal reform bills _ a centerpiece of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's economic policy _ also harmed sentiment. Disappointing first-quarter profit results from Toyota Motor Corp. helped push it and other auto shares down. Toyota shed 0.7 percent. In Tokyo currency dealings, the U.S. dollar lost ground against the Japanese yen and the euro. The dollar fetched 111.15 yen late Thursday, down 0.50 yen from late Wednesday and below the 111.10 yen it bought in New York late Wednesday. The euro rose to US$1.2323 from US$1.2219 late Wednesday. In Hong Kong, shares fell as Chinese oil producer CNOOC Ltd. plunged 3.6 percent days after it dropped its bid for U.S. counterpart Unocal Corp. amid political pressure, but Chinese car maker Denway's gains cushioned the fall. The blue chip Hang Seng Index slipped 6.96 points, or 0.05 percent, to 15,111.54. --mor 1401 Local Time 1101 GMT
