A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks past an electric quotation board displaying stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on February 25, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

TOKYO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks dropped Tuesday morning, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly tumbling more than 1,000 points, as investor sentiment was dented by an international rout on concerns the global economy could be hampered should the COVID-19 continue to spread.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average plunged 700.13 points, or 2.99 percent, from Friday to 22,686.61.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, dropped 45.41 points, or 2.71 percent, at 1,628.59.

Ariented issues comprising those that declined the most.

Markets here were closed on Monday for a national holiday.