TOKYO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher in choppy trade Wednesday as investors sought out shares deemed oversold following a global equities rout triggered by the U.S. targeting China again for higher tariffs as trade tensions heighten.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 276.95 points, or 1.24 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 22,555.43.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange meanwhile, added 8.83 points, or 0.51 percent, to finish at 1,752.75.
During a day of choppy trade and on the back of the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping for a sixth straight day and European shares retreating overnight, investors sought out issues deemed oversold following the global rout, brokers here said.
They added that buying of defensive shares that are not as susceptible to external economic factors helped prop up the market Wednesday, although its upside was capped by exporters losing ground amid the United States continued unilateral targeting of China for increased import tariffs.
By the close of play, pharmaceutical, electric power and gas, and food-linked issues comprised those that gained the most, and rising issues beat falling ones by 1,287 to 728 on the First Section, while 76 ended the day unchanged.
On the main section on Wednesday, 1,590.54 million shares changed hands, rising from Tuesday's volume of 1,494.63 million shares.
The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to 2,734.7 billion yen (24.82 billion U.S. dollars).
