Around the World's Markets: Tokyo

STOCKS ENDED down for the fourth straight session, with traders subdued by stable currency markets and a lack of fresh incentives.

"With the dollar/yen exchange rate relatively stable, and a bank alliance- related rally behind, it was difficult to find new factors to trade on," said Noriko Irie, a market economist at Fuji Securities.

The key Nikkei average of 225 leading shares ended down 66.92 points, or 0.38 per cent, at 17,599.37. Chip makers were mixed, shrugging off South Korean rival Samsung's impressive performance.