TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks fell Thursday, with the benchmark Nikkei closing below the 70,000 mark, as investors sold shares across a broad range of sectors following a recent rally and amid uncertainty over rising global bond yields.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 993.60 points, or 1.42 percent, from Wednesday at 69,042.11. The broader Topix index finished 62.65 points, or 1.51 percent, lower at 4,091.46.

On the top-tier Prime Market, the main decliners were nonferrous metal, machinery, and glass and ceramics product issues.

The U.S. dollar hovered around 158 yen in Tokyo amid a lack of fresh trading cues, traders said.

Most sectors declined, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street after the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note briefly hit 5.36 percent, its highest level since April 2002, raising concerns that higher borrowing costs could curb consumption and investment.

"The market believes that a decline in (Japanese government) bond yields does not necessarily mean that the underlying (global) upward pressure on the long-term interest rates has eased," said Wataru Akiyama, strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co. "And this is weighing on the stock market."

Concerns over crude oil supplies resurfaced after the Iran-aligned Houthis attacked two airports in Saudi Arabia, further dampening market sentiment.

Amid such uncertainties, investors locked in gains following a recent rally that saw the benchmark Nikkei top the psychologically important 70,000 mark and the Topix surpass its previous record closing high, dealers said, adding that a wait-and-see mood persisted.