Tokyo: Stocks close higher, as investors eye US jobs data

[TOKYO]

TOKYO stocks closed higher on Friday, extending rallies on Wall Street as investor focus shifted to key US jobs data due later in the day.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index grew 0.33 per cent or 91.92 points to end at 27,820.04, while the broader Topix index inched up 0.02 per cent or 0.36 points to 1,929.34.

"The Nikkei index is supported by a positive US market and a weaker yen, said senior strategist Yoshihiro Ito of Okasan Online Securities. "But selling ahead of tonight's US job data and a three-day weekend (in Japan) weighed on" the local market, he added.

The dollar fetched 109.82 yen in Asian trade, against 109.78 yen in New York late on Thursday.

Nintendo dived 7.22 per cent to 52,410 yen after it said first-quarter net profit fell nearly 13 per cent as the video-game sector's lockdown boom loses momentum.

Nikon surged 8.44 per cent to 1,143 yen after it booked a better-than-expected operating profit for the first quarter.

Among other shares, Sony advanced 0.35 per cent to 11,400 yen, while Uniqlo casual wear operator Fast Retailing climbed 0.25 per cent to 73,320 yen.

AFP