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TOKYO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average was virtually flat on Friday, as investors remain cautious about overheating in the market while signs of economic recovery in the U.S. are helping sentiment.
The Nikkei has traded flat for the past four days, after having rallied about 12 percent since early November, and the market will need new incentives to break out of the tight 190-point band it has been stuck in for more than a week, traders say.
The Nikkei was up 0.11 point at 10,311.40. The broader Topix index was up 0.2 percent at 905.38. (Reporting by Ayai Tomisawa; Editing by Michael Watson)