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BCN-02
STOCKS-MARKETS-JAPAN-OPEN
Tokyo stocks open higher
TOKYO, Feb 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Tokyo stocks opened higher on Friday, with
investor sentiment propped up by a rebound on Wall Street.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 0.23 percent, or 49.29 points, to
21,785.73 in early trade while the broader Topix index was up 0.19 percent,
or 3.31 points, at 1,749.48.
“US stocks were stronger, which provided support to the Tokyo market,” said
Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Centre.
“It was mainly foreign investors who triggered substantial falls (earlier
in the month). How much the Tokyo market will rebound depends on how much
they will buy back,” he told AFP.
Wall Street stocks finished mostly higher Thursday as worries about
increased interest rates ebbed somewhat.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average led the major indices, jumping 0.7
percent.
The dollar stayed below 107 yen on Friday, trading at 106.62 yen against
106.74 yen in New York on Thursday.
In Tokyo trade, banks were lower with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial falling 0.56
percent to 760.3 yen and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial down 0.32 percent at 4,670
yen.
Toyota rose 0.31 percent to 7,258 yen despite a firm yen.
BSS/AFP/RY/08:45 hrs