AKIPRESS.COM - Tokyo shares, the main exchange in Asia, perked upward Friday in early trading, boosted by a rally overnight on Wall Street to a record high.
The Nikkei average, the benchmark for the Tokyo Stock Exchange, gained 0.6 percent in early trading to 15,442.23, the Associated Press wrote.
Adding to the regional optimism were U.S. jobs data released earlier in the week that have sent the U.S. dollar higher — good news for the giant exporters of Japan Inc.
The dollar was, however, trading little changed in Tokyo early Friday from the previous day at 102.17 yen. The euro was also little changed, at $1.3608 compared to $1.3609 late Thursday.
Still, a strong U.S. economy is a boon for Japan's exporting companies. Their stocks were up in early trading, including Toyota Motor Corp. adding 0.5 percent, and Daikin Industries gaining nearly 1 percent.
U.S. markets are closed Friday for the Fourth of July holiday. U.S. stock trading will reopen Monday.