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

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended sharply higher Monday with the benchmark Nikkei gaining over 2 percent following a three-day fall as investors took heart from Japan's solid machinery orders data and advances in U.S. and European shares late last week.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 628.60 points, or 2.25 percent, from Friday at 28,569.02. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 40.95 points, or 2.14 percent, higher at 1,953.33.

       Gainers were led by machinery, metal product, and electric appliance issues.

       The U.S. dollar stayed firm in the lower 110 yen range, finding support after higher U.S. Treasury yields helped temper expectations the interest rate gap between the United States and Japan will narrow, dealers said.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 110.04-06 yen compared with 110.09-19 yen in New York and 110.01-02 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Friday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1877-1878 and 130.70-74 yen against $1.1873-1883 and 130.71-81 yen in New York and $1.1840-1841 and 130.25-29 yen in Tokyo late Friday afternoon.

       The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond was unchanged from Friday's close at 0.025 percent.

       Stocks gained throughout the day across a broad range of sectors, buoyed by increases in Europe and record highs on Wall Street late last week after the Nikkei ended Friday at its lowest level since mid-May.

       "A relative sense of security returned to the market after it overreacted negatively last week to concerns of a sluggish economic recovery (amid the coronavirus pandemic)," said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co.

       The market got off to a solid start to the week also helped by government data released before the opening that showed machinery orders rose a stronger-than-expected 7.8 percent in May on the month, fueling expectations of robust capital spending by firms.

       Investors were also awaiting numerous trading cues later this week, such as U.S. consumer price data on Tuesday and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's testimony from Wednesday, focusing on how fast the U.S. central bank would tighten its monetary policy.

       On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 2,010 to 149, while 33 ended unchanged.

       Yaskawa Electric climbed 350 yen, or 6.5 percent, to 5,760 yen after the industrial robot maker reported Friday its operating profit more than doubled in the first quarter through May from a year earlier.

       Bic Camera gained 51 yen, or 4.7 percent, to 1,135 yen after the electronics retailer on Friday marked a nearly 85 percent jump in operating profit for the nine months through May.

       Among issues notably lifted by the strong machinery orders data, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries advanced 50 yen, or 1.6 percent, to 3,236 yen, while Panasonic jumped 31.50 yen, or 2.4 percent, to 1,327.50 yen.

       Trading volume on the main section fell to 1,035.77 million shares from Friday's 1,425.64 million shares.

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