Tokyo stocks open flat on Friday

TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks opened flat on Friday after rising to a five-month high the previous day, following another strong close on Wall Street on solid economic data.

The Nikkei 225 index, which rose 1.62 per cent on Thursday, was down 0.01 per cent, or 1.56 points, at 15,359.60 at the start.

In New York the S&P 500 edged to a new record on Thursday as investors weighed solid economic data with ongoing violence in Iraq pushing oil prices to a new nine-month high.

The broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.13 per cent to 1,959.48, its second consecutive record finish, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.09 per cent to 16,921.46.

The dollar was at 101.88 yen in early Tokyo trade compared with 101.94 yen in New York Thursday afternoon.

The euro fetched US$1.3608 and 138.65 yen against US$1.3606 and 138.70 yen in US trade.

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