Tokyo: Stocks close higher after sales tax delay report

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks closed higher Monday following a report that Japan's government may postpone a planned sales tax rise to avoid damaging the country's fragile economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 0.33 per cent, or 54.19 points, to close at 16,466.40, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares ticked up 0.11 per cent, or 1.46 points, to 1,321.65.

AFP