Nikkei surges over 2 pct at one-week high on weaker yen

Tokyo stocks ended sharply higher Wednesday with Nikkei hitting a one-week high on buying prompted by a weaker yen, while investors'attention still focused on results of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting later in the day.contemporary lightingThe 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average surged 309.17 points, or 2. 02 percent, from Tuesday to end at 15,587.80.The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 18.18 points, or 1.48 percent, higher at 1,250.49.The market opened lower following overnight falls in the U.S. market, but rebounded as the yen slid to upper 102 yen level from mid-102 yen range early Wednesday morning due to Japan's record 17th consecutive month of trade deficit.Waterborne resinTrade for November in Japan stayed in red for a record 17 consecutive month, standing at 1.29 trillion yen (about 12.57 billion U.S. dollars) in the month, said the Japanese government Wednesday.The weaker yen raised investors'outlook over export-oriented issues, said brokers here.Analysts said that as market players still waited for results of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting, not many players involved in trading and minor incentives can sway stock prices. 

Market attention was on the outcome of the Fed meeting due later in the day. Traders tried to gauge the timing of when the Fed will taper its monetary easing policy under the background of recent upbeat U.S. economic data.Winners were led by real estate, nonferrous metal and banking shares, while the agriculture and fishery sector was the only decliner.Advancing issues surpassed declining ones 1,148 to 469 on the First Section, while 155 closed unchanged.Exporters performed well. Honda Motor rose 125 yen, or 3.1 percent, to 4,215 yen and Nissan Motor gained 25 yen, or 2.9 percent, to 890 yen. Panasonic climbed 13 yen, or 1.1 percent, to 1,183 yen. 

Softbank gained 160 yen, or 1.8 percent, to 8,930 yen in heavy turnover.Toray Industries rose 16 yen, or 2.3 percent, to 723 yen after the Nikkei business daily reported that the company plans to boost carbon fiber production capacity by more than 50 percent by fiscal 2016.Bridgestone went up 50 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 3,800 yen following the announcement of a boost of its production capacity of tires in Brazil.North Pacific Bank, a regional bank based in Hokkaido, jumped 24 yen, or 6.0 percent, to 423 yen after saying it has secured funds to pay back all the public funds it received in March 2009.modern lampsTrading volume on the main section came to 2,528.73 million shares, compared with Tuesday's 1,931.59 million shares.The turnover was about 2,427.5 billion yen (about 23.57 billion U.S. dollars).