April 14 (Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose for a second day, led by technology-related companies such as Sony Corp., after first-quarter profit at its mobile-phone joint venture with Ericsson AB more than tripled.

Advantest Corp. climbed after the Nihon Keizai newspaper said profit this business year may be 7 percent higher. Toyota Motor Corp. led gains by automakers after a government report said the economy is expanding as exports increase.

``Positive reports on earnings are fueling big expectations for corporate results,'' said Soichiro Monji, who helps oversee about $28 billion at Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. in Tokyo. ``The report on Advantest will help stoke up high-tech shares.''

The Nikkei added 34.67, or 0.2 percent, to 17,233.82 at the 3 p.m. close in Tokyo after dropping as much as 0.3 percent. The broader Topix index was little changed, adding 0.3 point to 1744.07. The Nikkei declined 1.9 percent this week while the Topix lost 2.2 percent.

Aiful Corp. plunged, leading declines by consumer finance companies after a report it will have to suspend operations in punishment for ``aggressive'' debt collection tactics.

Sony, the world's second-biggest consumer electronics maker, rose 100 yen, or 1.8 percent, to 5,620. Advantest, the world's biggest maker of memory-chip testing equipment, added 100 yen, or 0.7 percent, to 14,320. NEC Corp., Japan's largest maker of personal computers, gained 12 yen, or 1.4 percent, to 872.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ltd., the mobile-phone joint venture of Sony and Ericsson AB, yesterday said first- quarter profit more than tripled to 109 million euros ($132 million) on demand for models with Walkman music players and cameras.

Export-Driven Growth

Advantest expects a 7 percent profit increase to about 44 billion yen ($371 million) for the year through March 31, 2007, because of higher sales of semiconductor testers, the Nihon Keizai said. Sales may rise 8 percent to 270 billion yen. The company is increasing sales of testers for NAND flash memory, the report said.

Shares reversed losses in the afternoon session after the government said in its economic report for April released during the break that Japan's economy is expanding as overseas demand bolsters exports and companies increase investment.

Automakers advanced. Toyota, the world's most valuable automaker, gained 60 yen, or 0.9 percent, to 6.740. Honda Motor Co., which depends on the U.S. for more than half its sales, added 100 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 7,720. Nissan Motor Co. Japan's second-largest automaker, added 15 yen, or 1.1 percent, to 1,408.

Debt Collection Tactics

A measure of financial businesses including consumer finance companies fell 2.4 percent, the biggest percentage decline among the 33 industry groups in the Topix.

The Nihon Keizai reported Japan's Financial Services Agency ordered Aiful, the nation's biggest consumer finance group by market value as of yesterday's close, to suspend operations at its almost 1,700 branches nationwide for three days, with two closed for at least 20 days, as punishment for loan-collection tactics.

Kyoto-based Aiful hasn't been informed of any suspension, it said in a statement to the exchange.

Aiful plunged by its exchange-imposed daily limit of 1,000 yen, or 12 percent, from yesterday's close of 8,200. The stock had the biggest percentage decline on the Morgan Stanley Capital International World index.

The rating on the stock was cut to ``sell'' from ``buy'' by analyst Norimasa Ejiri at Merrill Lynch & Co.

Sumitomo Realty

Takefuji Corp., Japan's largest non-bank lender, slid 230 yen, or 3 percent, to 7,550. Acom, the nation's second-largest consumer finance company by market value, lost 280 yen, or 3.9 percent, to 6,860. Promise, the fourth largest, fell 350 yen, or 4.7 percent, to 7,170.

``The Aiful report has added to concern on the consumer lender sector,'' said Toru Kitani, who looks after about $3 billion in Japanese equities at Sompo Japan Asset Management Co. in Tokyo.

Aiful said earlier this month profit declined 10 percent to 67.9 billion yen in the year ended March 31. The figure was preliminary and the company is expected to report earnings next month.

The lender and its rivals are increasing provisions as consumers more frequently take legal action against interest charges when they can't pay debts. Aiful charges an average of 24 percent for unsecured loans, according to its Web site.

Sumitomo Realty & Development Co., surged, pacing gains in the Nikkei. Japan's fourth-largest property developer, jumped 150 yen, or 5.1 percent, to 3,090. JPMorgan Chase & Co. rated it ``outperform'' in new coverage, on the view the company has vacant property available to meet rising demand.

The settlement price for Nikkei 225 options contracts for April delivery was set at 17,389.30, traders said.

The settlement price, also known as the ``special quotation,'' of Nikkei 225 options is calculated after all stocks in the Nikkei 225 begin trading.

Acom Co. (8572 JT)
Advantest Corp. (6857 JT)
Aiful Corp. (8515 JT)
Honda Motor Co. (7267 JT)
NEC Corp. (6701 JT)
Nissan Motor Corp. (7201 JT)
Promise Co. (8574 JT)
Sony Corp. (6758 JT)
Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. (8830 JT)
Takefuji Corp. (8564 JT)
Toyota Motor Corp. (7203 JT)

To contact the reporter for this story: Hector Forster in Tokyo at hforster@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: April 14, 2006 02:45 EDT