Nikkei surges to more than 2-week high on strong Wall Street; financials gain

TOKYO, Jan 26 Japan’s Nikkei share average surged to more than a two-week high on Thursday morning tracking strength in Wall Street, while financial stocks were in demand after U.S. yields rose. The Nikkei gained 1.5 percent to 19,345.85 in midmorning trade after hitting as high as 19,354.48 earlier, the highest level since Jan. 11. U.S. Treasury yields increased overnight with benchmark yields hitting a four-week high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed atop the 20,000 mark for the first time.