This file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended higher Wednesday for the fourth straight trading day, supported by an overnight record high of the Dow Jones index and a slew of positive domestic earnings results.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 182.36 points, or 0.65 percent, from Tuesday at 28,070.51. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 17.80 points, or 0.92 percent, higher at 1,954.08.

       Gainers were led by rubber product, marine transportation, and iron and steel issues.

       The U.S. dollar was steady in the upper 110 yen range as the currency was bought on speculation that an overnight rise in U.S. Treasury yields would widen the interest rate gap between the United States and Japan, dealers said.

       Stocks were in positive territory throughout the day, with the Nikkei ending over the 28,000 mark for the first time in about a month after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high following the U.S. Senate's approval of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package.

       The deal is expected to help advance President Joe Biden's economic agenda through major investments in roads, broadband internet and clean energy, among other areas.

       Cyclical shares sensitive to economic fluctuations, "such as financial issues, supported the market after U.S. counterparts rose in reaction to the infrastructure plan," said Masashi Samizo, senior market analyst at SMBC Trust Bank.

       However, momentum slowed amid a lack of fresh trading cues after buying on positive earnings reports ran its course, with the market weighed down by weak semiconductor shares and the ongoing resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Japan, he added.

       Investors are awaiting U.S. consumer price index data for July, to be released later in the day, to ascertain when the U.S. Federal Reserve may begin stimulus tapering, Samizo said.

       On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,498 to 621, while 71 ended unchanged.

       Tokai Carbon surged 79 yen, or 5.5 percent, to 1,525 yen after the supplier of carbon black used in tires said Tuesday it had revised upward its earnings estimate for the business year through December, raising its net profit outlook by 34.8 percent from its previous forecast in May.

       Among financial issues, Mizuho Financial Group gained 37.0 yen, or 2.3 percent, to 1,629.5 yen, and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group advanced 107 yen, or 2.8 percent, to 3,876 yen.

       Bucking the upward trend, chip-related issues sank on the back of an overnight decline of the technology-heavy Nasdaq index.

       Sumco plunged 132 yen, or 5.3 percent, to 2,342 yen and Advantest dropped 330 yen, or 3.2 percent, to 9,950 yen.

       Trading volume on the main section rose to 1,160.13 million shares from Tuesday's 1,087.59 million shares.

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