Japanese shares fall as weak U.S. data reinforce fear of economic slowdown

By Stanley White
TOKYO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Japanese shares fell on Wednesday
after manufacturing activity in the United States shrank to its
lowest in more than a decade, offering further evidence that the
ongoing U.S.-China trade war is slowing global growth.
At 0150 GMT the Nikkei average share price index was down
0.55% on the day at 21,765.89.
A survey from the U.S. Institute for Supply Management (ISM)
on Tuesday showed manufacturing activity in the United States
tumbled to a more than 10-year low in September as the trade war
weighed on exports. Last week separate data showed U.S. consumer spending slowed
and capital goods orders fell in August as a year-long standoff
over China's trade policy starts to hobble the world's largest
economy. In Japan, there were 149 decliners on the Nikkei index
against 70 advancers on Wednesday.
Heavy equipment makers and exporters led declines as weak
manufacturing data in the United States - a major market for
Japanese capital goods - and a slightly stronger yen threaten
corporate profit.
The largest percentage losses were Yaskawa Electric Corp
6506.T down 4.46%, followed by Rakuten Inc 4755.T losing
4.03% and Nissan Chemical Corp 4021.T down by 3.91%.
The biggest percentage gainers were Kansai Electric Power Co
Inc 9503.T up 3.63%, followed by Casio Computer Co Ltd
6952.T gaining 2.99% and Sumco Corp 3436.T up by 2.80%.
The broader Topix index .TOPX fell 0.48% to 1,595.25.
The volume of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's
main board .TOPX was 0.46 billion, compared to an average of
1.18 billion yen in the past 30 days.

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U.S. manufacturing dives to 10-year low as trade tensions weigh
U.S. consumer spending underscores risks to economy
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