Mumbai, March 24 -- Japanese stocks ended slightly lower to extend losses for a third straight session as a survey showed Japanese business activity shrank for the first time in five months in March.

The Nikkei average slipped 0.18 percent to 37,608.49, with exporters and financials leading losses.

The broader Topix index settled 0.47 percent lower at 2,790.88 ahead of a looming deadline for implementing additional U.S. tariffs.

SoftBank, which is marching ahead on its ambitions to build out a major AI operation in its home market of Japan, rose 3 percent.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Capital Market....