Tokyo: Stocks open 0.22% higher

[TOKYO] Tokyo stocks opened 0.22 per cent higher on Monday with investor sentiment supported by record-setting advances on Wall Street last week.

The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 43.76 points to 20,063.80 at the start.

But a solid yen kept the benchmark index from gaining large ground.

In New York the Nasdaq extended its closing record Friday with strong boosts from Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index added 0.71 per cent to 5,092.08 while the S&P 500 also rose 0.23 per cent to a record 2,117.69.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.12 per cent to 18,080.14.

The dollar was weak early Monday after a run of poor US data raised fresh questions about the Federal Reserve's planned interest rate increase.

The greenback bought 118.90 yen on Monday, down from 118.99 yen in New York late Friday and 119.56 yen in Tokyo earlier Friday.

The euro fetched US$1.0869 and 129.25 yen against US$1.0873 and 129.38 yen in US trade.

AFP