Tokyo shares end with gains

TOKYO: Tokyo stocks trimmed earlier gains but managed to stay above water Monday, as investors took cues from strong US shares while Asian markets remained lukewarm.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 0.27 percent, or 77.72 points, to 29,019.24. The broader Topix index edged up 0.08 percent, or 1.66 points, to 1,960.85.

The Nikkei saw healthy gains in early trade, after US shares advanced Friday on speculation that the Federal Reserve will keep stimulus for the time being.

"But investors did not continue to aggressively buy up the shares," SMBC Nikko Securities said.

Investors wanted to wait and assess the performance of the US market later in the day before continuing to place buy orders, Okasan Online Securities added.

"Once buying peaked in the morning, profit-taking came in to weigh down the market," Okasan said.

Other major Asian markets were under pressure on Monday, with the Hang Seng index trending lower while the Shanghai market zigzagged between the positive and negative.

The dollar stood at 109.50 yen, almost flat from 109.51 yen in New York on Friday.

Among major shares, Nintendo added 1.21 percent to 68,580 yen. Leading shipping firm Nippon Yusen rose 2.37 percent to 4,960 yen. SoftBank Group rose 0.63 percent to 8,153 yen.

Meanwhile, Toyota fell 0.32 percent to 9,917 yen. Sony dropped 0.64 percent to 10,850 yen.

Nippon Steel plunged 5.74 percent to 1,922 yen.