Half Months: Points and Job Data

half months: On Thursday, the key market gauge gained 64.55 points, according to The Japan Times. The Topix index of all first-section issues closed up 19.33 points, or 1.24 percent, at 1,574.01, after rising 4.43 points the previous day. The 225-issue Nikkei average jumped 286.03 points, or 1.48 percent, to end at 19,604.61, its highest finish since Dec. 7, 2015. Tokyo stocks attracted hefty purchases as investors took heart from the dollar's first rise above 115 in about one and half months on Friday. But some investors retreated to the sidelines prior to the release later on Friday of the U.S. government's job data for February and the Fed's two-day policy-setting meeting from Tuesday, brokers said. The weaker yen reflected remarks on Thursday by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, who presented an optimistic outlook for Europe's economy, and continued expectations for an interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve this month, brokers said. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.