Stocks plunged sharply just before theclose of trade as the yen's continued rise against the dollar
and Friday's order by President Reagan to impose weighty duties
on key Japanese export sectors prompted investors to evacuate
their stock holdings, brokers said.
    At 1456 local time the index had slumped 502.98 to
21,675.04, the day's low. On Saturday the index rose 151.36 to
a record high of 22,178.02.
    Brokers said today's decline was led by selling of
multinational export companies' shares.
 REUTER
