TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed sharply lower Thursday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index hitting a six-month low, as the U.S. bond market overnight indicated a recession could be looming amid other indications of a faltering global economy.

File photo: AFP

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 249.48 points, or 1.21 percent, from Wednesday to close the day at 20,405.65, marking its the lowest closing level since Feb. 8.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 15.65 points, or 1.04 percent, to finish at 1,483.85.

All industry categories closed in negative territory, with oil and coal product, retail and precision instrument-linked issues comprising those that declined the most by the close of play.