Nikkei seen range-bound near 3-mth high, data eyed

TOKYO, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average is likely to
move narrowly on Monday to hover around a three-month high, in
the absence of fresh trading cues after U.S. and European stock
markets were closed for Christmas late last week.

Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) may draw attention after media
reported that the automaker expects a 17 percent increase in its
2010 global production, excluding units Daihatsu and Hino Motors,
from this year to about 7.5 million units. [ID:nTOE5BP007]

Japanese industrial output data, due before the start of
trade, will also be in focus. Output probably posted its
strongest growth in six months in November, driven by rising
exports to China and the rest of Asia. [ID:nTOE5BO038]

"Trade will likely be slow due to the holiday mood and as the
Nikkei is already taking a breather around 10,500, and the
dollar/yen that had pushed up the market last week is halting a
further rise," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, general manager at Daiwa
Securities SMBC.

"Unless the industrial output data comes in much stronger
than market expectations, it's unlikely to lead the market to
test higher levels."

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 is likely to move between 10,400
and 10,600 on Monday, market players said. It slipped 0.4 percent
on Friday to end at 10,494.71, a day after hitting a three-month
closing peak.

The index ended up 3.5 percent on the week and has risen 18.5
percent so far this year.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2254 GMT ------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1126.48 0.53% 5.890
USD/JPY JPY= 91.18 -0.35% -0.320
10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR 3.8048 -- 0.000
SPOT GOLD XAU= 1103.8 0.00% 0.000
US CRUDE CLc1 78.05 0.00% 1.380
DOW JONES .DJI 10520.10 0.51% 53.66
-------------------------------------------------------------
> Data lifts Wall St to 2009 highs on Christmas Eve [.N]
> U.S. dollar falls versus euro in thin trade [USD/]
> Prices slip on recipe of strong data and supply [US/]
> Gold untraded but silver, platinum inch up [GOL/]
> Oil rises above $78, inventories support [O/R]

STOCKS TO WATCH

-- Takashimaya Co Ltd (8233.T)

Takashimaya, Japan's third-largest department store chain,
kept its full-year profit forecast unchanged on Friday despite a
sharp slide in sales, saying extra cost-cutting would make up for
the shortfall. [ID:nTOE5BN083]

-- Skymark Airlines Inc (9204.T)

Skymark is ready to introduce seven more Boeing (BA.N)
737-800 planes to its fleet if the discount carrier can get 20
more landing slots at Tokyo's Haneda airport, a company source
said. [ID:nTOE5BO03D]
(Reporting by Aiko Hayashi; Editing by Chris Gallagher)