TOKYO, June 13 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average
posted its sharpest drop in more than four months on Monday,
ending at a two-week low, after a bigger-than-expected U.S.
inflation spike in May sent Wall Street sharply lower on the
weekend.
The Nikkei index fell 3.01% to close at 26,987.44,
in its biggest fall since Jan. 27. The index also hit its lowest
level since May 27.
The broader Topix lost 2.16% to 1,901.06.
U.S. stocks posted their biggest weekly drop since January
on Friday and ended sharply lower on the day, as a
steeper-than-expected rise in U.S. consumer prices in May
fuelled fears of more aggressive interest rate hikes by the
Federal Reserve.
"Investors were concerned that ongoing inflation is more
persistent than they had expected and global central banks would
have to take tighter measures to contain it," said Ikuo Mitsui,
fund manager at Aizawa Securities.
Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron fell
5.26% and was the biggest drag on Nikkei, followed by technology
investors SoftBank Group, which tanked 6.85%.
Air-conditioner maker Daikin Industries lost 4.61% and
a robot maker Fanuc fell 3.64%.
Bucking the trend, Kansai Electric rose 2.61% and
was the top gainer on Nikkei after the nuclear power plant
operator said it would restart a reactor in August, two months
ahead of its previous plan.
"Japan has some positive cues and its fundamentals are
relatively firm, with reopening of the economy and the weakened
yen," Mitsui said.
Department store chain Takashimaya rose 0.66% and
airliner ANA Holdings rose 0.41%, as Japan eases
restrictions on overseas travellers.
Of the Nikkei components, 189 stocks fell, while 32 rose.
The volume of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's
main board was 1.24 billion, compared to the average of 1.36
billion in the past 30 days.
(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Rashmi Aich)