Tokyo - Stocks in Tokyo opened higher on Monday over optimism that the worst of the global economic downturn had passed and credit markets would ease up. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average hovered near the psychologically important mark of 9,500 points. At 9:21 am (0021 GMT), the benchmark index climbed 71.08 points, or 0.75 per cent, to 9,432.83 points.
In currency markets, the dollar was quoted at 98.73-78 yen from 99.38-40 yen Friday. The euro traded at 1.3630-35 dollars from 1.3396-98 dollars Friday, and at 134.60-65 yen from 133.13-17 yen.
