/www.fxserver.com/ TOKYO (AP) -- Tokyo stocks opened up Monday, taking a cue from Wall Street's rally on Friday. The dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen.
The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average opened up 63.77 points, or 0.73 percent, at 8,765.69 points Monday. On Friday, the index gained 102.26 points, or 1.19 percent, at 8,701.92 points.
The dollar bought 120.52 yen at 9 a.m., up 0.12 yen from late Friday in Tokyo and above its late New York level of 120.30 yen.
In the stock market, Tokyo took a cue from U.S. stocks, which claimed their first winning week in five weeks.
The possibility of a U.S.-led war in Iraq had pummeled financial markets for weeks, but it actually sparked a buying spree in New York Friday. Many investors believe that if military action is undertaken in Iraq, stocks would rally as was the case with the Persian Gulf War.
On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 158.93, or 2.1 percent, at 7,908.80 -- its largest one-day victory since Jan. 9 when it rose 180.87.
The Nasdaq composite index rose 32.73, or 2.6 percent, to 1,310.17.
The broader Tokyo Stock Price Index of all first section issues opened up 5.78 points, or 0.67 percent, to 863.83 points Monday. The TOPIX gained 5.04 points, or 0.59 percent, to 858.05 points Friday.
In currency trading, the greenback was up against other major currencies after a recent battering.
The euro bought 129.77 yen early Monday in Tokyo, below its late Friday level of 130.46 yen. Against the dollar, it traded at US$1.0763, down from US$1.0839.
The yield on Japan's benchmark 10-year government bond edged up to 0.8400 percent from 0.8350 percent late Friday. Its price dipped 0.05 to 99.63.