Tokyo stocks close up as volatility fears ease

Tokyo, Feb 16 (AFP/APP): Tokyo stocks closed higher on Friday, extending gains from Wall Street as investors regained confidence and set aside inflation fears that stoked volatility earlier in the month. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 1.19 percent, or 255.27 points, to 21,720.25, while the broader Topix index was up 1.05 percent, or 18.10 points, at 1,737.37.