Tokyo: Stocks open 0.15% higher

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks opened 0.15 per cent higher Wednesday after three days of losses, backed by a stable dollar on positive US job vacancy reports.

The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 30.06 points to 20,126.36 at the start.

The dollar bought 124.37 yen in Tokyo morning trade, compared with 124.31 yen in New York late Tuesday.

In the United States, the JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) report showed a surge in job vacancies, while a small-business survey showed businesses were hiring more people and paying them more.

Together the two reports added pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, analysts said.

Wall Street stocks finished a choppy session little-changed Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average edging down 0.01 per cent.

The euro edged up US$1.1287 and 140.43 yen early Wednesday from US$1.1280 and 140.23 yen in US trade.

Investors were now tracking news on stalled Greek debt talks as Athens submitted new proposals Tuesday to end a standoff with the EU and IMF, which have demanded tough reforms in exchange for giving Athens bailout funds.

AFP