Japanese stocks ended 2011 at their lowest level in 29 years despite rising Friday on positive economic data from the United States, a major market for Japan, according to dpa. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average saw its first increase since Monday as it rose 56.46 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 8,455.35. The close, however, was the lowest on any final trading day of the year since 1982. The broader Topix index was up 6.49 points, or 0.9 per cent, at 728.61. The day's gains were seen after overnight jumps in US stocks on an increase in pending homes sales and a drop to a three-year low in new claims for US unemployment benefits over the past month. For the week, the Nikkei was up 0.72 per cent and the Topix was up 0.76 per cent. For the year, the Nikkei fell 17.34 per cent and the Topix lost 18.94 per cent. In 2011, Japan's economy suffered at the hands of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters of March 11, the strength of the yen, the eurozone debt crisis and disruptions to production of Japanese companies and suppliers because of flooding in Thailand. Japan's markets are to resume trading January 4. On currency markets at 3 pm (0600 GMT), the euro was quoted at 100.30-32 yen, down from 100.47-51 yen late Thursday, and at 1.2939-40 dollars, up from 1.2931-33 dollars. The dollar traded at 77.51-53 yen, down from 77.70-71 yen late Thursday.
