TOKYO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index slipped Friday amid revived expectations that the U.S. central bank would stick to its monetary tightening path.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 183.31 points, or 0.66 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 27,513.13.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, was down 9.16 points, or 0.46 percent, to finish at 1,991.93.

Data from the U.S. Labor Department overnight showed monthly producer prices, a measure of what raw goods fetch on the open market, increased 0.7 percent in January, the biggest increase since June, exceeding the market forecast of a 0.4-percent increase.

The U.S. dollar hovered around six-week highs in the upper 134 yen level in Tokyo after higher-than-expected inflation-related data fueled expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will continue hiking interest rates to tackle inflation, dealers said.

Stocks were sold, with market players refraining from taking risks as the prospect of continued U.S. interest rate hikes spurred concern over the global economic outlook, brokers said.

"Investors are seeing that the global economy could worsen, along with the United States," Makoto Sengoku, senior equity market analyst at the Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, said, adding that the outlook for U.S. stocks is overshadowed by inflationary pressures, likely weighing on Japanese stocks as well.

Decliners were led by precision instruments, mining and electric appliances shares.

Chip-manufacturing equipment maker Tokyo Electron skidded down 800 yen, or 1.7 percent, to 46,190 yen, and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest fell 180 yen, or 1.8 percent, to 10,050 yen.

Meanwhile, major tire maker Bridgestone added 212 yen, or 4.3 percent, to 5,148 yen, a day after the company said that its operating profit for the business year ending December jumped a expectation-beating 17.1 percent from a year earlier.