Tokyo stocks were mixed Friday morning as concern about uptrends in the number of new coronavirus infection cases in major economies was countered by hope for a recovery in business activity following Japan's lifting of domestic travel restrictions.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 30.95 points, or 0.14 percent, from Thursday to 22,386.41. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 5.43 points, or 0.34 percent, at 1,577.66.

Gainers were led by air transportation and land transportation issues, while major decliners included steel and iron, and insurance issues.

In the currency market, the U.S. dollar was bound in a tight range due to the mixed sentiment, fetching 106.93-97 yen at noon, compared with 106.92-107.02 yen in New York and 106.96-98 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The euro was quoted at $1.1209-1.1213 and 119.86-93 yen against $1.1201-1211 and 119.87-97 yen in New York and $1.1243-1244 and 120.26-30 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.

Investors took heart after the government went ahead with its plan to lift inter-prefectural travel curbs designed to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, which helped lift airlines and railway operators.

"The lifting (of restrictions) will allow people to travel freely on business and vacations, helping virus-hit economies across the country," said Maki Sawada, vice president of the investment research and investor services department at Nomura Securities Co.

But fears that such easing may set off another wave of outbreaks put the brakes on shares' upside, brokers said, pointing to recent spikes in daily new infection counts in some U.S. states and Beijing as they emerged from lockdowns.

On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,338 to 702, while 122 ended the morning unchanged.

Tokyo Electron surged 1,180 yen, or 5.1 percent, to 24,385 yen after saying Thursday its profit on sales for the year through next March is estimated to rise by 15.8 percent, citing an increase in demand for semiconductors as more people work from home.

Steelmakers struggled due to worries about possible re-impositions of factory shutdowns globally. Nippon Steel slid 30.50 yen, or 2.8 percent, to 1,067.00 yen while Kobe Steel sagged 10 yen, or 2.4 percent, to 413 yen.

==Kyodo

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