TOKYO - The U.S. dollar briefly topped the 160-yen line in Tokyo on Wednesday amid Middle East uncertainty, hitting the important psychological threshold for the first time since late April, before Japanese authorities began currency intervention.
At 9 a.m., the U.S. dollar fetched 159.98-99 yen compared with 159.89-99 yen in New York and 159.68-69 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The euro was quoted at $1.1621-1621 and 185.91-92 yen against $1.1626-1636 and 185.96-186.06 yen in New York and $1.1649-1650 and 186.02-06 yen in Tokyo late Tuesday afternoon.
In the first 15 minutes of trading in the Tokyo stock market, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 775.90 points, or 1.16 percent, from Tuesday to 67,510.14. The broader Topix index was up 30.41 points, or 0.77 percent, at 3,954.65.
On the top-tier Prime Market, the main gainers were nonferrous metal, mining and oil and coal product issues.
