TOKYO, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended slightly higher Thursday, as exporter shares climbed on a weaker yen against the U.S. dollar, while the benchmark gold price topped 30,000 yen (196 U.S. dollars) per gram for the first time.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 16.89 points, or 0.03 percent, from Wednesday at 53,375.60. The broader Topix index finished 9.81 points, or 0.28 percent, higher at 3,545.30.
On the top-tier Prime Market, the main gainers were oil and coal product, transportation equipment and mining issues.
The dollar remained firm mostly in the lower 153 yen level in Tokyo after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday ruled out intervention by U.S. authorities in the currency market to prop up the Japanese currency.
The benchmark price of gold set by Tokyo's Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies Co. hit an all-time high of 30,248 yen per gram, surging by over 2,000 yen from the previous day, as gold futures continued to climb to record highs in New York.
The market was supported by buying in some export-related auto issues, such as Toyota Motor, as a weaker yen against the dollar helped ease concerns about the adverse impact on earnings from the recent yen appreciation. ■