Nikkei flat after U.S. jobs data, tech shares slip

* Nikkei flat after U.S. jobs data * Tech shares fall in wake of key index's slip

* Resistance developing at 25-day MA around 10,000-analyst TOKYO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average was flat on Monday as the market digested U.S. jobs data that had both negative and positive aspects for equities, though tech shares were weak after a key U.S. index for chip stocks fell.

China-linked shares such as Hitachi Construction (6305.T) gained on anticipation that Chinese economic indicators due later this week will be good, though investors were searching for fresh factors as Japan's earnings season winds down.

The U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly jumped to 10.2 percent in October, a 26-½ year high, but job losses for August and September were revised to show 91,000 fewer jobs were lost than previously reported. [ID:nN06178752]

Although U.S. stocks shrugged off the data to end Friday slightly higher, investors in Tokyo were struggling to interpret the figures.

"The jobs data basically wasn't that good, but one thing the figures did do is raise expectations that low interest rates will remain in effect for a while, which is good for stocks," said Yutaka Miura, a senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities.

"Certainly the number of jobs being lost has been revised downward, but it's hard to see this as much of a good thing, and my impression is that people taking this view are stretching things a bit. The market is going to waver, trying to make up its mind about how to see the data."

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 started the day in negative territory but subsequently gained 0.3 percent or 33.12 points to 9,821.44. The broader Topix was flat at 873.70.

Some analysts said a negative conclusion about the jobs data was unavoidable. "Having the unemployment rate up over 10 percent is pretty tough, and it inevitably raises concerns about consumer spending," said Noritsugu Hirakawa, a strategist at Okasan Securities.

He added that resistance for the Nikkei appears to be developing around the level where the 25-day moving average comes in, currently just above 10,000, and that the Nikkei is unlikely to break through this without strong fresh factors.

Hitachi Construction rose 3.4 percent to 2,315 yen and Komatsu (6301.T), the world's no. 2 maker of earth-moving equipment, gained 1.8 percent to 1,851 yen. Kubota Corp (6326.T), a maker of agricultural equipment including tractors, rose 5.6 percent to 749 yen. "Given that the market is currently out of strong factors with the end of Japan's earning season, investors are now returning to old themes, such as expectations for Chinese economic growth," said Masayoshi Okamoto, head of dealing at Jujiya Securities.

A broad range of defensive shares also rose to help support the Nikkei.

But chip-related shares were fragile after the PHLX Semiconductor index .SOXX edged lower, with Advantest (6857.T) -- a maker of chip-testing equipment -- losing 1 percent to 1,950 yen and TDK Corp (6762.T) also down 1 percent to 5,040 yen. Tokyo Electron (8035.T) shed 1 percent to 4,860 yen. (Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)