Tokyo stocks open 0.53% higher

Tokyo stocks open 0.53% higher
Updated on

Summary A weak yen is positive for Japanese exporters as it makes them more competitive abroad.

TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks opened 0.53 percent higher on Tuesday after the yen fell to a three-month low on the dollar.

The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 100.46 points to 18,891.01 at the start.

The dollar bought 121.51 yen early Tuesday, up from 121.15 yen in New York late Monday, reaching its highest level since early December on the back of investor confidence in the US economy.

A weak yen is positive for Japanese exporters as it makes them more competitive abroad and increases profits when repatriated.

The euro was mixed as the European Central Bank embarked on its long-awaited quantitative easing programme.

The 19-nation currency bought $1.0835 and 131.58 yen on Tuesday against $1.0854 and 131.49 yen in US trade.

Wall Street stocks notched solid gains Monday following the launch of Apple s smartwatch and a General Motors announcement of $5 billion in share buybacks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.78 percent while the broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.39 percent.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.31 percent, with Apple rising 0.4 percent after it unveiled the Apple Watch, a high-end smartwatch that can make and receive calls and messages and track health and fitness.

 

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