Tokyo stocks closes 0.83% higher

Tokyo stocks closed 0.83 percent higher on Thursday afternoon, with the index up for the seventh consecutive session amid eased sentiments after the U.S. Congress approved a bill to avert a default and halt the partial government shutdown. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average closed up 119.37 points, from Wednesday at 14,586.51, the highest closing mark since Sept. 27. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 9.47 points, or 0.79 percent, at 1,206. 25. Almost all 33 sectors gained led by insurance, consumer finance and metal products issues. Paper, oil and communications firms were the only decliners. The turnover was 1712.1 billion yen (about 17.35 billion U.S. dollars).