Tokyo  - Stocks in Tokyo surged in Thursday morning trading on optimism over a global economic recovery after strong US corporate earnings were reported and retail sales in the United States, one of Japan's biggest export markets, were better than expected.

The benchmark Nikkei 222 Stock Average soared 212.41 points, or 2.11 per cent, to 10,272.62 after big overnight jumps on Wall Street that took the Dow Jones Industrial Average over 10,000 for the first time in a year.

Tokyo's broader-based Topix index also was up 14.67 points, or 1.64 per cent, at 909.01.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 89.41-42 yen, up from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 89.18-19 yen.

The euro traded at 1.4930-34 dollars, up from 1.4897-98 dollars Wednesday, and at 133.51-53 yen, up from 132.86-90 dollars. (dpa)