(Reuters photo)TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average surged more than 1% to a fresh 21-year high on Friday, led by banking shares as US yields remained high and by tech shares after their US counterparts posted strong earnings. The Nikkei rose 1.2% to 22,008.54 points, its strongest closing level since mid-1996. For the week, the index has risen 2.6%, posting seventh straight weeks of gains, the longest weekly winning streak in almost a year. Insurance stocks were in demand as well, with Dai-ichi Life Holdings rising 1.0 percent and Sompo Holdings adding 0.8%. Tech shares rose after Amazon.com Inc, Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Corp’s Google and Intel Corp posted stellar quarterly earnings on Thursday.

Source: Bangkok Post October 27, 2017 06:56 UTC