Tokyo stocks rise for third straight day on US stocks advance

Tokyo stocks rose for a third straight trading day on Wednesday, with the Nikkei index closing 0. 56 percent higher on gains in U.S. stocks overnight. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 81.72 points, from Monday at 14,800.06, its highest finish since Jan. 31. Japanese financial markets were closed Tuesday for a national holiday. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 15.32 points, or 1.27 percent, at 1, 219.60. Major gainers were led by the rubber, utility and insurance sectors. The turnover was 2374.0 billion yen (about 23.15 billion U.S. dollars).