Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday as an upbeat outlook for the U.S. economy based on robust June retail data was offset by profit-taking following stocks here advancing a day earlier.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged down 24.03 points, or 0.12 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 19,729.28.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, inched 0.21 point, or 0.01 percent, lower to finish at 1,616.00.

Construction and rubber product-linked stocks comprised those that declined the most by the close of play.

Among the day's notable gainers were air transportation issues.

Trading volume of the third trading day of the week totaled 1,875.7 billion yen (16.95 billion U.S. dollars).