Nikkei reaches fresh 15-year high; Nintendo falls on profit-taking

TOKYO, March 20 (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei share average hit a fresh 15-year high on Friday in choppy trade and gained for a sixth week on expectations for better shareholder returns, but Nintendo Co dived on profit-taking after soaring for two days.

The Nikkei benchmark ended 0.4 percent higher to 19,560.22, the highest closing level since April 2000, after trading in negative territory earlier. For the week, the benchmark rose 1.6 percent, posting six straight weekly gains.

Nintendo, which surged 36 percent the previous two days after saying it will enter the mobile game market, fell 6.6 percent. It was the fourth most traded stock by turnover.

The broader Topix rose 0.3 percent to 1,580.51 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 advanced 0.2 percent to 14,356.35.

(Editing by Richard Borsuk)