TOKYO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Monday as the market mood was buoyed after the first round of the French presidential election eased fears that France might leave the European Union.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 255.13 points, or 1.37 percent, from Friday to close the day at 18,875.88, marking its highest close since April 3.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 14.61 points, or 0.98 percent, to finish at 1,503.19.
Transportation, nonferrous metal and construction-linked stocks comprised those that gained the most before the end of play, and advancing issues outpaced declining ones by 1,534 to 381 on the First Section.
Trading volume on the main section came to 1,921.19 million shares, rising from Friday's volume of 1,862.44 million shares.
The turnover on the first trading day of the week totaled 2,119 billion yen (19.23 billion U.S. dollars).
