Tokyo stocks close slightly higher to five-week peak

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

TOKYO, March 18 (Chinese media) -- Japanese share prices extended winning streak for the fourth consecutive trading day, closing up 0.29 percent on Wednesday at a new five-week high.

The Nikkei-225 index gained 23.04 points to end at 7,972.17. At one point in the morning, it stood up the psychologically important line of 8,000.

The broader Topix index of all first-section shares climbed 4.03 points, or 0.53 percent, to 764.67.

Leading gainers were insurance, gas and electric, and banking issues. Major losers included pulp and paper, and rubber product issues.

Despite gains in the index, declining issues outnumbered advancing ones 830 to 758, with 126 others remaining unchanged on the First Section.

Trading volume on the main section came to 2,389.25 million shares, up from Tuesday's 2,323.40 million.

The TSE's Second Section index was up 5.15 points, or 0.29 percent, to 1,795.77 on a volume of 32.77 million shares. On the Osaka Securities Exchange, the near-term June Nikkei 225 index futures contract was up 30 points to 7,920.