Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index climbed 1.8% to 40,285.25, as shares in automakers and other major exporters rose. A weak yen boosts profits for exporters and companies with big operations overseas when they convert their earnings into yen.

Asian Shares Are Mostly Lower, With Most World Markets Closed for Christmas BANGKOK (AP) — Shares slipped in Tokyo and Shanghai on Wednesday, two of only a handful of world markets open on Christmas day.

Traders will get some time off from the stock market on Christmas Day, while equity index futures and the trading of metals and energy futures on Comex and the New York Mercantile Exchange will also be closed.