Tokyo stocks close down 0.26% TOKYO stocks slipped 0.26 per cent in subdued trade on Thursday ahead of the Independence Day holiday in the United States while a slightly stronger yen also added to selling pressure. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 36.63 points to 14,018.93, while the Topix index of all first-section shares fell 0.26 per cent, or 3.10 points, to 1,170.71. The dip in Tokyo comes after the Dow in New York added 0.38 per cent in shortened pre-July 4 holiday trade. "The lack of participation caused by the US holiday should contribute to a limited trading range for the (Tokyo) market," SMBC Nikko Securities general manager of equities Hiroichi Nishi told Dow Jones Newswires. Investors are keeping a close eye on a monthly US jobs report Friday for clues as to when the Federal Reserve will start reeling in its massive bond-buying program, known was quantitative easing. Also in focus are policy meetings for the European Central Bank and Bank of England later in the day, with both widely expected to hold off launching any fresh policy measures. On forex markets the dollar weakened to 99.76 yen, from 99.86 yen Wednesday in New York, where it slipped back below the 100 yen level. A stronger yen hurts Japanese exporters as it makes their products less competitive abroad while reducing income when repatriated. In stock trading, Dentsu tumbled 9.20 per cent to 3,155 yen after the advertising giant surprised investors with a plan to raise $1.2 billion to fund a $4.8 billion takeover of British media group Aegis. Suntory Beverage & Food was up 1.74 per cent at 3,200 yen on its second day of trading after the drinks giant raised $US3.9 billion in the world's second-biggest initial public offering this year. Toyota slipped 0.80 per cent to 6,180 yen, Sony was up 0.69 per cent at 2,181 yen and Uniqlo clothing chain operator Fast Retailing added 1.29 per cent to 35,250 yen.