TOKYO: Tokyo stocks opened slightly lower on Friday following the release of lacklustre Japanese economic data showing tepid inflation and a surprise drop in household spending.
The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange slipped 16.28 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 20,506.55 at the start.
A report from the internal affairs ministry showed household spending fell 2.0 per cent year-on-year in June against market expectations that family spending would keep increasing after a rise of 4.8 per cent in May.
Core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, was up 0.1 per cent, well short of the Bank of Japan’s 2.0 per cent target.
