TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower Thursday, tracking U.S. shares tanking overnight as short- and long-dated Treasury yields inverting for the first time in 12 years pointed to an imminent recession amid other indicators pointing to a faltering global economy.

File photo: AFP

As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 405.45 points, or 1.96 percent, from Wednesday to 20,249.68.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 29.09 points, or 1.94 percent, at 1,470.41.

All industry categories retreated into negative territory, with oil and coal product, mining, and iron and steel-linked issues comprising those that declined the most in the opening minutes after the morning bell.