Nikkei bounces off 6-week low

TOKYO, Mar 24 (Reuters): Japan's Nikkei share average climbed 1.8 per cent on Monday, bouncing off from a six-week low on the back of a tentative recovery in risk appetite, though underlying concerns about Japan's economic outlook kept gains in check.
The benchmark Nikkei gained 251.07 points to 14,475.30, completely reversing the previous session's losses, after a market holiday on last Friday. Still, the index was down more than 11 per cent since the start of this year, likely heading for its first quarterly decline in 1-1/2 years.
Stocks offering high dividends or other shareholder benefits enjoyed a decent bounce before the dividend record date on Wednesday, with Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd and ANA Holdings Inc rising 4 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively.
The broader Topix advanced 1.5 per cent to 1,163.04 in relatively active trade, with 2.92 billion shares changing hands, one of the heaviest in the past month.