Tokyo, February 17 (QNA) - Japan's Nikkei index ended Tuesday's trading lower, as investors moved to take profits in the absence of new catalysts.

The Nikkei index fell 0.4 percent to close at 56,566.49 points, after declining 1.9 percent over four consecutive sessions. The broader Topix index also dropped 0.7 percent to 3,761.55 points.

The Nikkei index is still up about 13 percent since the beginning of the year to date. Shares of the technology and investment group SoftBank fluctuated in recent sessions, as SoftBank Group's stock fell 5.1 percent, weighing on the index by 187 points.

Steelmaker Japan Steel Works was among the biggest percentage losers, with its shares down 5.4 percent, while shares of IT services company NEC Corp fell 4.7 percent.

In contrast, shares of smartphone components maker Taiyo Yuden rose 8.7 percent, making it one of the biggest gainers on the index. One hundred stocks on the Nikkei advanced, compared with 125 that declined. (QNA)