TOKYO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks advanced Thursday morning on reports that Britain and the European Union are close to reaching a post-Brexit trade deal, while the U.S. agreeing to buy 100 million more doses of vaccines developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, helped bolster sentiment.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 140.93 points, or 0.53 percent, from Wednesday to 26,665.72.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, rose 9.97 points, or 0.56 percent, at 1,775.18.

Mining, iron and steel and nonferrous metal-oriented issues comprised those that gained the most by the morning break.