SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. said it will launch a service Friday to advise individual customers on investment in Japanese stocks utilizing artificial intelligence. The unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. hopes to gain a wide range of customers, including novice investors, through the online service designed to propose an optimum asset management method. SMBC Nikko will operate the service jointly with Japanese AI technology developer Heroz Inc. The AI-based service will show stock prices expected a month ahead of all firms listed on Japanese stock exchanges for more than one year, based on their earnings data and daily stock price movements. It will propose the best portfolios for customers according to how much loss they can accept.

Stocks lost further ground on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Tuesday, weighed down by the yen's ascent. The 225-issue Nikkei average fell 65.71 points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 19,455.88. On Friday, the key market gauge gave up 68.55 points. The Tokyo market was closed on Monday for a national holiday. The Topix index of all first-section issues ended down 2.43 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,563.42, after shedding 6.84 points on Friday.