Japanese stocks dip amid fading hopes for US rate cut

Japanese stocks fell Monday for the first time in four sessions as investors' hopes for a substantive U.S. rate cut has faded.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 31.98 points, or 0.20 percent, to close at 15,924.39 points, following a 0.5 percent rise Friday. The broader Topix index of all first-section issues lost 3.25 points, or 0.21 percent, to 1,558.51.

Modest U.S. job data released Friday suggested to some investors that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates a quarter point when its policy-makers meet Tuesday instead of a half-point.

Still, the U.S. jobless rate held steady at a relatively low 4.7 percent in November, the Labor …