国际英语新闻：Nikkei falls below 9,000 line for 1st time since 2009

TOKYO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan's key Nikkei stock index fell below the psychologically important 9,000 line for the first time in more than a year on Tuesday, as hopes on the government intervention of the yen receded.

In the first 15 minutes of trading, the benchmark Nikkei-225 index lost 125.13 points, or 1.37 percent, from Monday to 8,991.56. The index last traded below the 9,000 threshold on May 18, 2009.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 9.67 points, or 1.17 percent, to 815.12.

Exporter shares suffered badly in the morning as the yen gained against the dollar and the euro.

The Japanese currency traded in lower 85 yen range, continuing the rising trend as Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa did not talk about currency intervention during their talks over the phone on Monday.