Nikkei briefly falls below 26-year closing low

TOKYO, Japan - An electronic board outside a brokerage in Tokyo shows Japan's key Nikkei index closing at 7,268.56 on Feb. 24. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average briefly dropped below a 26-year closing low during the day's session, as investors were rattled after the Dow Jones index closed Monday at its lowest level in almost 12 years amid fresh financial worries.