Nikkei rises to seven-week high

Reuters
Employees of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) look at a monitor at the bourse at the TSE in Tokyo March 3, 2014. REUTERS/Issei Kato/Files

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese shares ended at a 7-week high on Monday, with financials leading the gains, helped by the yen's retreat against the dollar and a record-high for Wall Street on upbeat U.S. housing data. The benchmark Nikkei extended its winning streak to a third day and rose 1 percent to 14,602.52, its highest closing since April 8. The broader Topix advanced 1.2 percent to 1,194.69 in lowest trading volume in five weeks, while the new JPX-Nikkei Index 400 added 1.2 percent to 10,897.39. Activity was light, partly as financial markets in London and New York are closed on Monday for public holidays. (Reporting by Tomo Uetake; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)