TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Nikkei stock index rose above 40,000 points Thursday morning for the first time in two months on firm tech shares that tracked overnight gains by their U.S. counterparts.

At 10 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average had climbed 684.69 points, or 1.74 percent, from Wednesday to 40,056.92, trading above the threshold for the first time since Oct. 15. The broader Topix index was up 37.72 points, or 1.37 percent, at 2,787.03.

The market was boosted by heavyweight semiconductor-related shares after the Nasdaq index ended at a record high on growing expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts after U.S. inflation data came in line with projections.

Exporters were also bought on a weaker yen which increases profits when repatriated.