Japan stocks seen halting winning run in thin trade

TOKYO, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks are seen likely to
snap a four-day winning streak on Thursday with investors locking
in profits in recent gainers such as Canon Inc (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) after a
flat finish on Wall Street and amid holiday-thinned trade.

Energy shares such as Inpex Holdings Inc (1605.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) may be in
favour after oil hit a one-month high, said Yutaka Miura, deputy
manager of the equity information department at Shinko
Securities.

"The Japanese market has gained some 600 points in the last
four winning sessions and profit-taking looks imminent," he said.

"Investors can't be bullish enough to keep buying as
uncertainty remains about the U.S. market and currency moves
after the New Year holiday."

Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 2NKc1 closed at 15,735 on
Wednesday, 25 points above the previous close in Osaka JNIc1.

The benchmark Nikkei average .N225 ended Wednesday up 0.7
percent at 15,653.54, its highest close since Dec. 12.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2257 GMT ------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1497.66 0.08% 1.210
USD/JPY <JPY=> 114.25 -0.03% -0.040
10-YR US TSY YLD <US10YT=RR> 4.2827 -- 0.000
SPOT GOLD <XAU=> 823.5 -0.08% -0.700
US CRUDE CLc1 95.97 0.00% 1.840
DOW JONES .DJI 13551.69 0.02% 2.36
-------------------------------------------------------------
>Dow, S&P near flat; Target's view hurts [.N]
>Dollar slides in thin post-holiday trade [USD/]
>Bonds fall on poor auction, stock comeback [US/]
>Platinum rises to near record, gold advances [GOL/]
>Oil jumps 2 pct on expected drop in US stockpiles [O/R]
STOCKS TO WATCH
-- Chip equipment makers

Orders for Japanese chip-making equipment fell 0.5 percent in
November from a year earlier, the ninth straight monthly decline,
an industry group said on Wednesday.

Orders came to 146.98 billion yen ($1.29 billion), down from
147.65 billion yen in the same month last year but up 19 percent
from October, the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan
said. [ID:nTKU002947]

-- Topcon Corp (7732.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The surveying and measurement instrument maker said on
Wednesday it had slashed its full-year earnings outlook and
dividend forecast after sales of measurement instruments were hit
by a slowdown in housing markets in both the United States and
Japan.

The firm cut its operating profit forecast for the year
ending next March by 29 percent to 13.1 billion yen and its
annual dividend by 6 yen to 16 yen per share.

-- Canon Inc (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

The digital camera maker said on Wednesday it has raised its
annual dividend forecast by 10 yen to 110 yen per share.

-- Kansai Electric Power Co Inc (9503.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Japan's second-biggest utility cut its 2007/08 group
operating outlook by 20 percent on Wednesday, hurt by the
prolonged shutdown of a nuclear power unit and higher fuel
prices. [ID:nT134017]

-- Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp (4091.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Air Water Inc (4088.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

Taiyo Nippon Sanso and Air Water plan to jointly build an
industrial gas facility to supply a new liquid crystal display
plant begin built by Sharp Corp (6753.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) in Osaka Prefecture,
western Japan, the Nikkei business daily reported on Thursday.

Taiyo Nippon and Air Water plan to spend about 30 billion yen
initially, but their total investment is expected to eventually
exceed 60 billion yen, the newspaper said.
(Reporting by Aiko Hayashi, Editing by Michael Watson)