Tokyo - Investors sought out bargains Tuesday on the Tokyo stock market after three days of declines, sending stocks up despite worries over a stronger yen. Financial shares saw some of the day's biggest gains after Japan's new government said banks would not have to raise their provisions for bad loans under its proposed debt moratorium for struggling small firms.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 17.31 points, or 0.18 per cent, to close at 9,691.8
The broader-based Topix index also was up 4.35 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 871.63.
On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 89.13-16 yen, down from 89.83-85 yen in late trading Monday.
The euro traded at 1.4688-92 dollars, up from 1.4622-23 dollars, and at 130.87-131.02 yen, down from 131.35-39 yen.
A higher yen makes Japanese goods more expensive abroad and reduces exporters' overseas earnings.
