Tokyo stocks ended slightly higher on Thursday as tech issues were bought following an overnight rise in their U.S. counterparts, although the upside was limited as investors locked in gains from a recent market rally.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 9.99 points, or 0.03 percent, from Wednesday at 36,236.47. The broader Topix index finished 2.70 points, or 0.11 percent, higher at 2,531.92.
On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by pulp and paper, marine transportation and securities issues.
The U.S. dollar remained firm in the upper 147 yen range as Japanese importers bought it for settlement purposes, dealers said.
Stocks fluctuated between positive and negative territory throughout the day, with the Nikkei benchmark briefly falling below the 36,000 threshold.
Sentiment was additionally dampened by "growing expectations that the Bank of Japan will end its ultraeasy monetary policy in the near future," said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co.
