Tokyo stocks closed essentially flat Thursday as buying spurred by U.S. shares advancing overnight was offset by investors looking to secure profits.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged up 1.90 points, or 0.01 percent, from Wednesday to close the day at 20,628.56.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, shed 2.07 points, or 0.12 percent, to close at 1,682.49.

Food, electric power and gas-linked issues comprised those that gained the most by the close of play, while insurance and land transportation issues led those that declined.

Falling issues outpaced advancing ones by 1,341 to 597 on the First Section, with 92 ending the day unchanged.
On the main section on Thursday, 1,378.35 million shares changed hands, dropping from Wednesday's volume of 1,660.05 million shares.

The turnover on the penultimate trading day of the week came to 1,994.0 billion yen (17.68 billion U.S. dollars).