Nikkei edges up as banks jump, BOJ meeting eyed

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By Rika Otsuka

TOKYO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Nikkei average edged up 0.6 percent on Thursday, as banks such as Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group jumped on expectations the Bank of Japan will follow the Federal Reserve's move to cut interest rates to near zero. [ID:nT253714]

But gains were capped by persistent concerns over the auto sector amid the global economic downturn and rises in the yen versus the dollar.