TOKYO, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 2.1 percent on Monday, gaining for a fourth day after fewer-than-expected U.S. job losses in August bolstered optimism that the U.S. economy would not fall back into recession.
The Nikkei picked up momentum after it broke above its 25-day moving average for the first time in about a month, bringing its gains this month to about 5 percent following a 7.5 percent slide in August.
The benchmark Nikkei gained 187.81 points to 9,301.94, above 9,229 or its 25-day moving average, with some market participants citing buying by domestic investors and short-covering of futures by foreigners.
The 25-day moving average is considered a proxy for a one-month moving average and is closely watched in Japan.
The broader Topix rose 1.8 percent to 838.34.
Still, the benchmark Nikkei remains one of the worst performing major world stock markets this year, hurt by worries about the impact of the yen's strength on corporate earnings and the fragile economic recovery. (Reporting by Aiko Hayashi; Editing by Chris Gallagher)