Nikkei up 0.4 pct after five days of losses

(Updates to midday break)

TOKYO, June 26 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.4 percent on Thursday after five straight days of losses, with investors picking up recently battered shares such as Sony Corp (6758.T).

But the market lacked direction, with the Nikkei switching between positive and negative territory as concerns about the health of financial institutions and an economic slowdown kept a lid on a rebound expected after the longest run of losses this year.

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 ended the morning up 59.43 points at 13,889.35. The broader Topix rose 0.3 percent to 1,350.37.