Nikkei declines for the third consecutive session, Mercury the biggest loser

Japan’s Nikkei index fell for the third consecutive session today, as concerns about the country’s upcoming elections and stalled trade talks with the United States weighed on investor sentiment.

The Nikkei closed down 0.3%, while the broader Topix index was flat. The biggest percentage losers on the index were online retailer Mercury, which fell 5.4%, followed by video game maker Nexon, which fell 4.2%.

The biggest gainers on the index were Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and IHI, which rose more than 3.6%.