Stocks rose in Tokyo on Wednesday, with the key Nikkei stock average making a five-year-and-seven- month high at over 16,900 line.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 248.17 points, or 1.49 percent, to 16,938.41, for its highest finish since Aug. 29, 2000.

The Tokyo Stock Price Index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 18.85 points, or 1.11 percent, to 1, 711.54.

High-tech, oil, glass, machinery, financial and real estate issues gained ground, meanwhile, utility, paper and shipping issues edged down.

Softbank was the most heavily traded issue by value. It rose 190 yen to 3,380 yen.

Finance company Nissin was the day's volume leader, up 19 yen to 133 yen.

Advancing issues outpaced retreating ones 1,233 to 367, with 93 shares ending unchanged.

Trading volume on the TSE's main section came to 1,965.84 million shares against Tuesday's 1,660.62 million shares.

The TSE's Second Section index climbed 38.71 points, or 0.78 percent, to 5,023.98 on a volume of 93.81 million shares. In Osaka, the near-term June Nikkei 225 index futures contract was up 260 points to 16,910.

Source: Xinhua