Tokyo stocks close higher as yen slides to 6-month low , exporters advance

Tokyo stocks ended higher Monday, with the Nikkei stock index finishing above the 18,000 threshold for the first time in 10 months, as the yen's retreat spurred investors to make bold moves and snap up bluechips like exporters which buoyed the broader market.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 138.61 points, or 0.77 percent, from Friday to close at 18,106.02, marking its highest closing level since Jan. 6.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, finished the day 14.47 points, or 1.01 percent, higher at 1,442.93.

Local brokers said the Nikkei gaining for a fourth consecutive session was owing to the yen's retreat to a six-month low against the U.S. dollar, on hopes the new leadership in the United States will unroll fiscal stimulus measures to drive growth in the world's largest economy.

On the main section all industry categories closed in positive territory, except the steel and nonferrous metal sectors, with mining, real estate and export-linked electronics issues comprising notable gainers, with advancing issues outnumbered declining ones by 1,405 to 463, on the First Section,

Trading volume on the main section decreased to 2,070.74 million shares on Monday, down from Friday's volume of 2,541.06 million shares, and the day's turnover was 2,286.7 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem