Nikkei edges up, inflation data keeps easing hopes alive
TOKYO, April 25 (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei edged up on Friday, helped by a slightly lower-than-expected inflation print for April which reinforced some hopes for further monetary easing by the Bank of Japan.
The Nikkei's gains were limited by weakness in other Asian bourses, notably Chinese shares, and as investors cut positions ahead of the weekend.
The Nikkei share average closed up 0.2 percent at 14,429.26. The Nikkei lost 0.6 percent on the week, and it has shed 11.4 percent so far in 2014.
The broader Topix index rose 0.4 percent to 1,169.99 .
The new JPX-Nikkei Index 400 climbed 0.4 percent to 10,644.23.
(Reporting by Shinichi Saoshiro; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
