Tokyo stocks ends morning down

Tokyo stocks (Nikkei) closed the morning session lower Monday, as weaker-than-expected US jobs data for March raised concerns about a US economic slowdown. The Nikkei Stock Average finished morning trade at 9,585.91, down 102.54 points, or 1.06%, sinking below 9,600 for the first time since March 7, according to Nikkei.com. The U.S. employment data for March, released Friday, showed a month-on-month increase of 120,000 jobs in the non-agriculture sector, half the growth of February's 240,000. The figure also fell far short of the previous market forecast of 200,000 new jobs. The ensuing sell-offs of the dollar, which weakened to the lower-81 yen level, weighed on Tokyo stocks, with almost all automakers, electronics makers and other exporters and blue chips ending in negative territory. Toyota extended its losses into the eighth straight session.