Tokyo stocks open higher on bargain-hunting after U.S. gains

Tokyo stocks were higher in early trading Wednesday on bargain-hunting after strong earnings reports from major U.S. firms lifted Wall Street overnight. In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 226.12 points, or 0.73 percent, from Tuesday to 31,288.47. The broader Topix index was up 19.23 points, or 0.86 percent, at 2,259.96. On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by wholesale trade, insurance and iron and steel issues. At 9 a.m., the U.S. dollar fetched 149.85-86 yen compared with 149.85-95 yen in New York and 149.47-49 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday...