Tokyo: Nikkei climbs to 6-week high on earnings optimism

[TOKYO] Japan's Nikkei share average rose to six-week highs on Tuesday in a holiday-shortened week, getting a lift from robust earnings and gains on Wall Street.

The Nikkei finished 0.7 per cent higher at 19,445.70, its highest close since March 21.

It added 1.3 per cent for the week. Tokyo markets will be closed for three days from Wednesday for a string of holidays known as Golden Week.

Wall Street climbed on Monday, boosted by gains in Apple and other big technology stocks that more than offset weak US economic data, and pushed the Nasdaq Composite to another record high.

The broader Topix added 0.7 per cent to 1,550.30, while the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 was up 0.7 per cent at 13,849.15.

REUTERS