* European GDP figures further help investor confidence
* Trend Micro, Marubeni jump after brokerage upgrades
TOKYO, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average hit its highest point in 10 months on Friday, with investor confidence further reinforced after Western Europe's two largest economies reported a surprising return to growth in the second quarter.
Germany and France ended their recessions in April-June, earlier than many policymakers and economists had expected, though U.S. data on retail sales and jobs disappointed.
In light news week due to the summer holiday season in Tokyo, rating changes by brokerages dominated moves in the market.
Trend Micro jumped after Nomura Securities hiked its rating on the maker of computer antivirus software to "buy" from "neutral," while trading house Marubeni climbed after a Goldman Sachs' upgrade citing stable growth prospects.
"The positive figures out of Germany and France are still a favourble factor for the market, though such prospects had been somewhat priced in during the global market rally over the past month," said Soichiro Monji, chief strategist at Daiwa SB Investments.
"The upward trend continues but the market will likely move in a very narrow range going into next week as it's been overbought in terms of technicals and profit-taking pressure will likely emerge."
The benchmark Nikkei rose 0.9 percent or 97.49 points to 10,614.68, after climbing as far as 10,629.89, its highest level since Oct. 6.
The broader Topix added 0.6 percent to 974.28.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 0.7 percent on Thursday after Wal-Mart posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings as a clampdown on inventory offset falling sales, and it forecast a full-year profit that could beat Wall Street estimates.
The market shrugged off the U.S. Commerce Department report that retail sales fell 0.1 percent in July, defying market expectations of a gain.
Other data showed the number of workers filing initial applications for unemployment benefits rose by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 558,000. Economists had anticipated a drop.
"The general trend of economic recovery hasn't changed," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, general manager at Daiwa Securities SMBC.
"The market simply reaffirmed the fact that consumer spending and employment haven't really caught up with the recovery momentum yet."
Trend Micro gained 3.8 percent to 3,530 yen after Nomura Securities raised its rating and lifted its target price to 4,000 yen from 3,000 yen, citing new product launches and an early recovery from the recession as companies prioritise security investment.
Marubeni climbed 3.8 percent to 462 yen after Goldman Sachs upgraded it to "buy" from "neutral", saying it saw the company overshooting guidance for the year to March on stable growth in its food business and its overseas independent power producer business. (Reporting by Aiko Hayashi; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)