This file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks fell Thursday, snapping an eight-day winning streak, as investors locked in gains and sold on concerns over a slowing U.S. economic recovery amid the spread of coronavirus infections involving the Delta variant.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 173.02 points, or 0.57 percent, from Wednesday at 30,008.19. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 14.68 points, or 0.71 percent, lower at 2,064.93.

       Decliners were led by machinery, rubber product and air transportation issues.

       The U.S. dollar stayed in the lower 110 range ahead of a European Central Bank policy meeting later in the day, with focus on any debate on the timing of the central bank's reduction in its monetary stimulus, dealers said.

       The fall in shares came after the Nikkei advanced over 2,500 points, or 9 percent, during the past eight sessions, the longest rally this year, and closed at a near six-month high on Wednesday, prompting many participants to lock in gains.

       "Market players took profits as the Nikkei's recent rally went too fast," said Toshikazu Horiuchi, an equity strategist at IwaiCosmo Securities Co.

       Sentiment was also weighed on by concerns about the U.S. economic outlook after the Federal Reserve's Beige Book on Wednesday showed U.S. economic growth slowed to a moderate pace from early July through August due to the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

       Japanese cyclical shares sensitive to economic fluctuations were dragged down by the Fed's report as it signaled a downshift in the U.S. economy, said Maki Sawada, a strategist in Nomura Securities Co.'s investment content department.

       On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,363 to 706, while 120 ended unchanged.

       Among cyclical issues, steelmaker and nonferrous metal issues fell with Nippon Steel down 17.5 yen, or 0.8 percent, at 2,305.5 yen and Sumitomo Metal Mining off 52 yen, or 1.2 percent, at 4,305 yen.

       Airline and department store operator shares fell following reports that the Japanese government is planning to decide Thursday to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency in Tokyo and other metropolitan areas.

       ANA Holdings shed 49.5 yen, or 1.8 percent, to 2,642.5 yen and J. Front Retailing, operator of the Daimaru and Matsuzakaya department stores, declined 9 yen, or 0.9 percent, to 1,013 yen.

       Bucking the downward trend, the electric power and gas sector gained as potential candidates for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential race on Sept. 29 all showed a relatively flexible stance on the restart of existing nuclear plants, brokers said.

       Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings soared 32 yen, or 11 percent, to 322 yen and Kansai Electric Power jumped 57.0 yen, or 5.4 percent, to 1,120.0 yen.

       Trading volume on the main section fell to 1,260.35 million shares from Wednesday's 1,320.22 million shares.

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