Tokyo: Japanese shares ended at their lowest in nearly four weeks on Wednesday, weighed down by a decline in bank stocks. The Nikkei lost 0.88 percent to close at 41,938.89, while the broader Topix slipped 1.07 percent to 3,048.89. Both indexes marked their lowest closing levels since Aug. 8.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Topix banking index dropped 3.19 percent to become the worst performing among the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s 33 industry sub-indexes. Shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group lost 3.15 percent. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group each fell more than 3 percent, while the insurance sector declined 2.73 percent.

Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron lost 1.92 percent, while tech investor SoftBank Group fell 5.27 percent.