Tokyo's Nikkei closes up on US rallies

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index closed higher Thursday on US rallies, but early gains were partially erased after reports that Tokyo recorded a new record high number of coronavirus infections.

The Nikkei 225 index rose 0.40 percent, or 90.64 points, to 22,529.29, but the broader Topix index was flat -- up 0.01 point -- at 1,557.24.

Japanese shares were steady after the Nasdaq finished at another record Wednesday on gains by large tech companies.

But Tokyo market sentiment declined in late trading as the number of new coronavirus infections in the capital hit a single-day record of more than 220 on Thursday.

"I don't think the government will immediately impose more restrictions, but the news psychologically depressed the market," said Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities. 

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The dollar fetched 107.28 yen in Asian afternoon trade, against 107.25 yen in New York and 107.53 yen in late Tokyo hours on Wednesday.

Among major shares in Tokyo, industrial robot maker Fanuc jumped 1.60 percent to 19,630 yen and Sony surged 3.27 percent to 7,673 yen following gains in US high-tech shares.

But Nissan dropped 1.96 percent to 383.5 yen and Toyota was down 0.28 percent at 6,709 yen.

FamilyMart soared 22.80 percent to 2,154 yen after Japanese trading house Itochu announced plans to take full ownership of the convenience store chain through a tender offer.

Agence France-Presse