Tokyo - Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average continued to rise in early trading Wednesday, again topping the 8,000 mark.

In the first 40 minutes of trading, the Nikkei surged 584.12 points, or 7.66 per cent, to 8,206.04.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 46.38 points, or 5.92 per cent, at 830.41.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 98.20-25 yen, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 94.54-56 yen.

The euro was quoted at 1.2805-10 dollars, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 1.2476-78 dollars, and at 125.78-83 yen, up from 117.95-99 yen. dpa