Tokyo shares end sharply higher on weaker yen, buoyant US market

Tokyo shares ended sharply higher Friday on the yen's falling and overnight buoyant U.S. market. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rocketed 416.49 points, or 2. 88 percent, higher from Thursday to end at 14,865.67, after plunging nearly 400 points over the past two days. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 27.75 points, or 2.32 percent, at 1, 222.31. All of the 33 sector indexes advanced and led by oil and coal, utility and nonferrous metal issues. The turnover was about 1,968.1 billion yen (about 19.20 billion dollars).