Tokyo stocks advanced steeply Tuesday on buying propelled by sharp gains overnight in U.S. shares, driving the benchmark Nikkei above the 15,000 threshold for the first time in about two weeks.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 210.74 points, or 1. 42 percent, to 15,005.24.

The Tokyo Stock Price Index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 20.60 points, or 1.36 percent, to 1,534. 82.

Advancing issues led retreating ones 1,192 to 403, with 99 shares ending unchanged.

Trading volume on the TSE's main section came to 1,431.87 million shares against Monday's 1,454.61 million shares.

The TSE's Second Section index gained 24.47 points, or 0.61 percent, to 4,050.03 on a volume of 38.33 million shares. In Osaka, the near-term September Nikkei 225 index futures contract soared 300 points to 15,060.

Source: Xinhua