Around the World's Markets: Tokyo

CONTINUING CONCERNS about the health of the US economy and the imminent offering of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, sent Japanese stocks down - the fifth decline in six days. At the close of trading, the Nikkei finished at 14,640, a 0.4 per cent fall on the day.

Shares in Honda, which relies on the US market for three-quarters of its profits, fell 2.5 per cent, while Sony dropped by over one per cent.

"The US economy has clearly entered a downward cycle, and the yen could become a real problem for exporters," said one analyst.