TOKYO -- Japan's equity benchmark Nikkei Stock Average plunged during Friday afternoon trading, following news of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to resign due to his worsening health.
The Nikkei index dropped over 600 points, or 2.6%, at one point, to 22,594, hitting its lowest intraday level since Aug. 7. A broad sector of company stocks fell -- retail, electronic devices, services and telecoms.
