Morning Session: Points and Market

morning session: On Monday, the key market gauge gained 158.66 points to close above 19,000 for the first time since Dec. 30 last year, according to The Japan Times. The Topix index of all first-section issues finished up 8.82 points, or 0.58 percent, at 1,540.25 after advancing 6.07 points the previous day. The 225-issue Nikkei average rose 95.49 points, or 0.50 percent, to end at 19,250.52, marking its highest closing level since Dec. 17, 2015. Stocks got off to a weaker start following a pause in the yen weakening against the dollar. The market downside was limited, however, with both key market gauges briefly popping up into positive territory in the middle of the morning session. Profit-taking hit mainstay issues, pushing down the Nikkei average more than 90 points early in the morning session. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.