Tokyo stocks ended higher Thursday for the fourth straight trading day, sending the Nikkei to close at a new seven-week high, as the market was lifted by firm technology shares following a record-high finish for the tech-heavy Nasdaq index overnight.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 92.49 points, or 0.33 percent, from Wednesday at 28,543.51. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 2.78 points, or 0.14 percent, higher at 1,983.57.

Gainers were led by metal product, insurance, and precision instrument issues.

The U.S. dollar was weaker around the 110 yen line after U.S. employment data for August from payrolls processor ADP fell below market expectations, dealers said.

The Nikkei index fluctuated mostly in positive territory throughout the day before ending at its highest level since July 14, with the benchmark gaining over 900 points in four days.

"The market was top-heavy as the surge over the last three days led investors to sell on recent gains," although the downside was supported by hopes for the normalization of domestic economic activity amid expectations the toll of COVID-19 infections in Tokyo appears to have hit a peak, said Kazuo Kamitani, a strategist at Nomura Securities.

Meanwhile, a wait-and-see attitude prevailed as investors await the results of U.S. employment data from the Labor Department to be released Friday, he added.

On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,197 to 896, while 96 ended unchanged.

Some electric machinery issues gained as concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown were eased after the U.S. manufacturing index for August from the Institute for Supply Management rose to 59.9 percent from a month earlier. The index increased for the first time in three months and exceeded the market consensus of 58.6 percent.

Kyocera advanced 45 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 7,028 yen, and TDK moved up 70 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 11,750 yen.

Technology shares were lifted by the record high for the Nasdaq index. Taiyo Yuden jumped 130 yen, or 2.0 percent, to 6,660 yen, Tokyo Electron climbed 550 yen, or 1.2 percent, to 48,030 yen, while Advantest gained 200 yen, or 2.1 percent, to 9,840 yen.

Trading volume on the main section fell to 1,058.06 million shares from Wednesday's 1,082.66 million shares.

==Kyodo

© Kyodo News International, Inc., source Newswire