Share prices closed lower, ending three consecutive days of gains, after the worse-than-expected industrial production data spurred profit-taking, dealers said. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed down 70.54 points or 0.5 pct at 13,346.54, while the broader TOPIX index of all First Section shares gave up 4.00 points or 0.3 pct at 1,419.84. For the week, the Nikkei 225 rose 1.8 pct and the TOPIX advanced 3.1 pct. But gainers beat losers 848 to 728, with 90 issues unchanged. Volume fell to 2.55 bln shares from 2.84 bln shares yesterday. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reported that industrial output rose a seasonally-adjusted 0.2 pct in September from the previous month, well below market expectations of 2.1 pct. Another data showed consumer price index in Japan fell 0.1 pct year-on-year in September, suggesting the country is still battling with deflation. "The latest industrial output figure emerged weaker-than-expected, although forecasts for October and November appear to be bullish," said Kiichi Murashima, an economist at "I think this is due to the softer-than-expected tone in electronic devices and electric/machinery sectors. Indeed, the deflationary pressure in prices of high-tech products appeared to be still in place, which weighed on the tech sector," the economist said. Hideyuki Suzuki, a strategist at SBI Securities, said given the weak economic data along with a slump in US stocks overnight, "the range of dip in the Japanese market is not significant."