TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower Thursday after the earnings results of U.S. chip giant Nvidia Corp. failed to impress investors, while a firmer yen also weighed on exporters.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 326.17 points, or 0.85 percent, from Wednesday at 38,026.17. The broader Topix index finished 15.48 points, or 0.57 percent, lower at 2,682.81.

On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by mining, precision instrument and retail shares.

The U.S. dollar fell to the upper 154 yen zone in Tokyo as the Japanese currency, seen as a safe-haven asset, was sought amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war, dealers said.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 154.89-92 yen compared with 155.37-47 yen in New York and 155.65-67 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The euro was quoted at $1.0536-0537 and 163.21-25 yen against $1.0539-0549 and 163.74-84 yen in New York, and $1.0578-0579 and 164.65-69 yen in Tokyo late Wednesday afternoon.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond rose 0.030 percentage point from Wednesday's close to around a four-month high of 1.095 percent, as the debt was sold on growing speculation the Bank of Japan could raise interest rates as early as December.

The Nikkei stock index lost over 400 points at one point, dragged down by heavyweight semiconductor companies after Nvidia's stock fell in after-hours trading following the overnight release of its earnings report for the August-October period.

"While the results were by no means bad they showed a decline in gross margin, leading some investors to worry that Nvidia's profit growth may have already hit its peak," said Tomoichiro Kubota, senior market analyst at Matsui Securities Co.

"But given how much the stock has risen up to this point, the drop (in after-hours trading) appears to be driven more by profit-taking," Kubota added, referring to Nvidia's share price almost tripling in the year to date.

Amid a lack of other trading cues, the market was also weighed down by export-oriented automakers and machinery sectors that fell on prospects of lower repatriated profits due to the yen's appreciation, brokers said.