Japan"s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average climbed Thursday to another 15-month closing high as technology and shipping shares gained ground, dpa reported. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 172.65 points, or 1.61 per cent, to close at 10,907.68, while the broader Topix index was up 14.99 points, or 1.59 per cent, to end the day at 959.01. Stocks rose despite the news that Japan"s machinery orders fell 11.3 per cent in November from the previous month to a record low due to sluggish domestic demand.
