Tokyo stocks opened slightly higher Friday as technology shares tracked overnight gains by their U.S. counterparts.
In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 97.21 points, or 0.25 percent, from Thursday to 39,539.84. The broader Topix index was up 5.77 points, or 0.21 percent, at 2,752.73.
On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by real estate, pulp and paper, and electric appliance issues.
The U.S. dollar hit a new 34-year high of 153.32 yen in New York overnight, after U.S. wholesale prices in March increased 2.1 percent from a year earlier, marking the fastest pace in 11 months and reinforcing the view that the Federal Reserve may not start cutting interest rates in June as expected earlier, analysts said.
At 9 a.m., the dollar fetched 153.18-21 yen compared with 153.24-34 yen in New York and 153.12-14 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The euro was quoted at $1.0724-0728 and 164.27-36 yen against $1.0721-0731 and 164.34-44 yen in New York and $1.0743-0744 and 164.50-54 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.
