This Oct. 1, 2020 file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower Wednesday as concerns grew about a recent worldwide surge in COVID-19 variant cases, while some investors refrained from making bold moves ahead of the release of key U.S. economic indicators later this week.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 21.08 points, or 0.07 percent, from Tuesday at 28,791.53. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 5.91 points, or 0.30 percent, lower at 1,943.57.

       Decliners were led by iron and steel, electric power and gas, and precision instrument issues.

       The U.S. dollar was stuck in the mid-110 yen level amid a lack of new trading incentives, dealers said.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 110.54-55 yen compared with 110.50-60 yen in New York and 110.69-70 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1900-1902 and 131.55-59 yen against $1.1891-1901 and 131.50-60 yen in New York and $1.1909-1911 and 131.82-86 yen in Tokyo late Tuesday afternoon.

       The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond was unchanged from Tuesday's close at 0.055 percent.

       Stocks opened higher tracking an overnight rise on Wall Street before fluctuating between positive and negative territory later in the day, as the Nikkei neared the 29,000 threshold. They were weighed down by concerns that a resurgence of coronavirus infections will negatively affect economic activity, brokers said.

       "Investors are finding it difficult to make any major moves, with a wait-and-see attitude prevailing ahead of U.S. jobs data for June due this Friday, as well as a number of business earnings reports," said Makoto Sengoku, senior equity market analyst at the Tokai Tokyo Research Institute.

       Air transportation issues took a hit from worries over the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, he added.

       Japan Airlines dropped 10 yen, or 0.4 percent, to 2,401 yen, while ANA Holdings was down 32.00 yen, or 1.2 percent, at 2,612.00 yen.

       Land transportation issues also declined, with Tobu Railway slipping 39 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 2,872 yen, and Central Japan Railway falling 105 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 16,850 yen, after Mitsubishi Electric Corp. admitted Tuesday to fabricating data regarding its inspections of air conditioners for train carriages.

       Ushio climbed 240 yen, or 13.4 percent, to 2,030 yen, after the developer of industrial lamps revised upward its net profit estimate for the business year ending March 2022.

       On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,296 to 786, while 108 ended unchanged.

       Trading volume on the main section rose to 963.36 million shares from Tuesday's 838.05 million shares.

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