Tokyo stocks lose ground in morning on ex-dividend selling

TOKYO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks lost ground Tuesday morning as issues previously bought to secure dividend payouts for the first half of the business year were offloaded once they became ex-dividend.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 77.80 points, or 0.33 percent, from Monday to 23,433.82.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 13.14 points, or 0.79 percent, at 1,648.79.

Electric power and gas, oil and coal product, and pharmaceutical issues comprised those that declined the most by the morning break.