Tokyo - Tokyo stocks ended Friday morning trading slightly higher on a fall in US crude oil prices and the US dollar's advance against the yen.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average inched up 13.37 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 12,970.17.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was slightly up 0.73 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 1,239.66.

While export-oriented issued were helped by a stronger dollar, gains were limited because of lingering concerns over the real-estate sector.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 109.78-79 yen, up from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 109.49-51 yen. A US dollar's advance helps boost the earnings of Japanese firms in the United States, their largest export market.

The euro was quoted at 1.4773-78 dollars, down from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 1.4915-16 dollars, and at 162.19-24 yen, down from 163.31-35 yen. (dpa)