One noticeable exception to the profit-taking: Mitsubishi UFJ FG (JP: 8306) (MTU) +1.4% to Y1.42m. // Recent leader Millea Hldgs (JP: 8766) (MLEA) had gotten ahead of itself and pulled back 3.1% to Y5,280. Mizuho FG (JP: 8411) (MFG), also strong of late, retreated 0.45% to Y891k.

* Nikkei 225 Stock Average: -73.57 (-0.4%) to 17,760.91
* Nikkei 225 futures Osaka: -40 (-0.2%) to 17,800
* TOPIX: -9.53 (-0.5%) to 1,751.62; Advancers 357 x decliners 1,280 (95 unchanged); new highs 35 x new lows 64
* Jasdaq: -0.57 (-0.7%) to 79.55