Tokyo stocks open down 0.67%

Tokyo stocks opened 0.67 percent lower on Wednesday as the yen strengthened further against the dollar in early Asian trade. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 72.67 points at 10,806.41 at the start. The benchmark index is unlikely to draw active buying after the yen rose during the previous day and is showing few further weakening tendencies, traders said. The dollar was at 88.72 yen against 88.80 yen in New York Tuesday afternoon. The yen rebounded Tuesday after Japan's economy minister warned over the currency's rapid decline, saying it could hit consumers by making imported goods more expensive. The euro bought 118.15 yen and $1.3312 early Wednesday, against 118.14 yen and $1.3304 in US trade. US stocks closed mixed Tuesday after the government reported better-than-expected retail sales in December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.20 percent to 13,534.89 while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite fell 0.22 percent to 3,110.78. -- Dow Jones Newswires contributed to this article --