Tokyo stocks advance in morning on Wall Street's lead, softer yen adds support

TOKYO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks advanced Thursday morning as investor sentiment was bolstered by a strong showing on Wall Street overnight, with a softer yen adding to an upbeat mood.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 140.80 points, or 0.66 percent, from Wednesday to 21,503.85.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 8.99 points, or 0.52 percent, at 1,733.63.

Insurance, real estate and nonferrous metal-linked issues comprised those that gained the most by the morning break.