Tokyo stocks rose slightly Tuesday as investors picked up recently battered technology and other issues amid caution before earnings releases in Japan and the United States.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 113.55 points, or 0.30 percent, from Monday at 37,552.16. The broader Topix index finished 3.77 points, or 0.14 percent, higher at 2,666.23.
On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by insurance, securities house and construction issues.
The U.S. dollar stayed firm in the upper 154 yen range amid receding prospects that the Federal Reserve will soon cut interest rates, while its further rise was capped by wariness over a possible yen-buying intervention by Japanese authorities, dealers said.
Stocks were mostly higher, with heavyweight shares on the Nikkei benchmark drawing buying after advances on Wall Street overnight and easing fears of an escalating Middle East conflict that weighed on the Japanese market last week.
But gains were limited as investors took a wait-and-see approach before earnings releases later this week from major U.S. firms including Meta Platforms Inc. and Tesla Inc., as well as such Japanese companies as semiconductor testing equipment maker Advantest Corp.
"The Middle East situation hasn't entirely gone away as a risk factor, and concerns and uncertainties before the earnings season were making it difficult for investors to keep buying," said Maki Sawada, a strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co.
Gas companies were among notable gainers after Osaka Gas Co. on Monday revised upward its profit projections for the business year ended March on the back of increased profits in its domestic and overseas operations.
