Tokyo stocks close at 10-month high

TOKYO: Tokyo stocks rallied Friday as the yen sank against the dollar on rising expectations of a US rate hike next month, with the benchmark index hitting a 10-month high.

The headline Nikkei 225 gained 0.59 percent, or 104.78 points, to end at 17,967.41, a whisker below the psychologically key 18,000 mark and its best level since early January.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 0.38 percent, or 5.38 points, at 1,428.46.