Japanese stocks finish slightly higher Thursday

Tokyo stocks finished slightly higher Thursday, as a temporary fall in the Nikkei Stock Average below 8,500 for the first time in four months prompted investors to buy on dips and cover short positions in midafternoon. The benchmark index closed at 8,563.38, up 6.78 points, or 0.08%, according to (Nikkei) website. Although the index ended the day higher, it was weighed down by sell-offs on disappointment over an informal EU summit that ended without major results. Weaker economic data in China also raised fears about a slowdown in that country's economy. The euro slid to the 99 yen range, breaching the psychologically important 100 yen barrier and increasing selling pressure on exporter shares.