Tokyo - Stocks in Tokyo rose Friday for the first time in four days as corporate earnings reports and unemployment data came in better than expected. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose again above 10,000 after falling below the mark Thursday, gaining 143.64 points, or 1.45 per cent, to close at 10,034.74.
The broader-based Topix index was also up 12.41 points, or 1.41 per cent, at 894.67.
Besides the better-than-expected earnings results from such companies as Sharp Corp, Japan's unemployment rate also fell to 5.3 per cent in September from 5.5 per cent in August, the government said Friday.
It was the second month in a row that unemployment had decreased.
The fall took place against a background of rising production driven by increasing exports.
Despite the increases in stocks Friday, Japan's major indices still saw losses for the week. The Nikkei was down 2.4 per cent and the Topix fell 0.8 per cent.
On currency markets at noon (0300 GMT), the dollar traded at 91.31-34 yen, up from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 90.65-66 yen.
The euro traded at 1.4842-46 dollars, up from 1.4735-36 dollars Thursday, and at 135.53-60 yen, up from 133.58-62 yen.
