Tokyo stocks end above 11,000 in fall of yen

Tokyo stocks rose sharply Wednesday, with the Nikkei Stock Average surging 247.23 points, or 2.28%, to end the day at 11,113.95. The benchmark index closed above 11,000 for the first time since April 30, 2010. Buyers started targeting shares of companies that rely on domestic demand in early morning trade. After the yen began to weaken, investors also started buying shares of exporters. In the afternoon, the Nikkei average rose further, led by stock index futures, (Nikkei.com) reported. The broader Topix index rose to a 2012-13 high. The index surpassed the closing price recorded on March 20, 2011, the day before the Great East Japan Earthquake, for the first time in about a year and 10 months. The trading value on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange reached about 1.97 trillion yen on a preliminary basis.