Tokyo stocks opened higher Friday as investor sentiment improved on the back of overnight gains on Wall Street, where the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index snapped a four-day losing streak.
In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 273.28 points, or 0.99 percent, from Thursday to 27,847.71. The broader Topix index was up 19.23 points, or 0.99 percent, at 1,960.73.
On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by electric power and gas, wholesale, and nonferrous metal issues.
At 9 a.m., the dollar fetched 136.61-64 yen compared with 136.64-74 yen in New York and 136.70-72 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The euro was quoted at $1.0554-0557 and 144.18-25 yen against $1.0550-0560 and 144.19-29 yen in New York and $1.0526-0527 and 143.89-93 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.
