* ETF funds' ex-dividend selling also weighs market
* Poor machinery orders also dampen mood
By Ayai Tomisawa
TOKYO, July 8 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei fell on Monday
after an unexpectedly strong U.S. job data dampened market
expectations for aggressive rate cuts this month.
Also denting the mood was weak domestic economic data.
Japan's core machinery orders fell by the most in eight months
in a worrying sign that global trade tensions are taking a
greater toll on corporate investment.
The Nikkei share average .N225 ended 1% lower at 21,534.35
points.
After Friday's strong U.S. nonfarm payroll readings, traders
have scaled back expectations the Federal Reserve will cut rates
by a hefty 50 basis points at its next policy meeting on July
30-31. But they are still expecting a quarter-point cut.
"The market's expectations on aggressive U.S. rates cut had
been rising but the mood has changed over the weekend," said
Takashi Ito, an equity market strategist at Nomura Securities.
Financial stocks bucked the weakness, after U.S. Treasury
yields rose on Friday following the job report. Mitsubishi UFJ
Financial Group 8306.T was up 0.1%, Mizuho Financial Group
8411.T added 0.6% and Dai-ichi Life Holdings 8750.T gained
0.2%.
Separately, the market was also pressured by selling related
to passive funds' closing dates in early July, as most
exchange-traded funds are going ex-dividend on Monday and
Wednesday this week.
Since funds sell stocks to finance their dividend payouts,
Daiwa Securities expected that there will likely be about 330
billion yen in selling for cash stocks and 300 billion yen on
futures, on both Monday and Wednesday.
Fanuc Corp 6954.T and Komatsu Ltd 6301.T both dropped
0.9%.
The broader Topix .TOPX dropped 0.9% to 1,578.40.
(Editing by Kim Coghill)