Business

Wed Jun 18 21:59:06 PDT 2008

(Click for Reuters Tankan business sentiment survey) (Updates to midday)

TOKYO, June 19 (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average slid 2 percent on Thursday, led lower by exporters such as Honda Motor Co on a firmer yen and worries about a weak U.S. economy, a major destination for world exports.

Bank shares including top lender Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group took a beating as concerns the credit crisis was tightening its grip on commercial banks hit their U.S. counterparts.

The benchmark Nikkei was down 293.42 points to end morning trade at 14,159.40.

The broader Topix slipped 2.1 percent to 1,379.42.

(Reporting by Aiko Hayashi)

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