Tokyo shares close marginally higher

Tokyo stocks went slightly higher on Friday though the gains were limited on the final trading day of fiscal 2006.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 23.71 points, or 0.14 percent, to finish at 17,287.65.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 2.93 points, or 0.17 percent, to 1,713. 61.

Saturday is a book-closing day for most Japanese companies in the current business year, making Friday the crucial last trading day of the fiscal year, which began April 1 last year.

Major gainers of the day included insurance, mining and real estate issues. Meanwhile, electric power and gas, air transport and marine transport issues lost ground.

Advancing issues led declining ones 1,045 to 548 on the First Section, with 129 shares ending the day flat.

Mizuho Financial Group became the most heavily traded issue by value, up 15,000 yen to 759,000 yen. Orient was the day's volume leader. It lost 7 yen to 201 yen.

Trading volume on the main section dropped to 1,942.97 million shares from Thursday's 2,338.45 million shares.

The TSE's Second Section index rose 24.27 points, or 0.58 percent, to 4,205.92 on a volume of 30.41 million shares. On the Osaka Securities Exchange, the near-term June Nikkei 225 index futures contract was up 40 points to 17,310.

Source: Xinhua