Tokyo - Tokyo's stock market started trading for the New Year in a positive mood on Monday.

The Nikkei Index of 225 leading stocks rose over 9,000 for the first time in nearly two months as the market opened. After Wall Street gained on Friday, the Nikkei rose
212.76 points, or 2.4 per cent, to 9,072.32.

The index lost a record 42 per cent last year as the financial crisis pummeled world markets.

The dollar was more stable, trading at 92.05-10 yen in Tokyo from 91.70-80 yen on late Friday in New York. The euro opened trading at 1.3953-58 dollars after 1.3915-25 dollars on Friday in New York.

Japanese financial markets have been closed since Wednesday to mark the New Year's holiday. (dpa)