TOKYO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened lower Monday as the market mood was dragged down by government data showing worse-than-expected gross domestic product data for the October-December period, which marked the first contraction in five quarters.

File photo: AFP

At 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 335.01 points, or 1.41 percent, from Friday to 23,352.58.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 25.19 points, or 1.48 percent, to 1,677.68.

Iron and steel, air transportation and metal product-linked issues comprised those that declined the most in the opening minutes after the morning bell.