TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average rose for a third straight session on Monday, extending its recovery from a six-week low marked last week, as a sharp decline in the yen boosted exporters while a drop in COVID-19 infections added to economic reopening hopes. The Nikkei closed 1.60% higher at 28,498.20, gaining more than 1,000 points from Wednesday's six-week low, while the broader Topix rose 1.77% to 1,996.58, marking its second straight winning session. New cases of coronavirus infections in Japan fell to 553 on Sunday, the lowest in almost a year, according to public broadcaster NHK. Meanwhile, the yen slid as far as 112.75 per dollar for the first time since December 2018. Sony Group rose 4.4% amid a report that it might build a new chip plant with TSMC in Japan.
