Japan Hot Stocks-Mazda, Hokkoku, SBI Holdings, Tokio Marine

TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) - The benchmark Nikkei average .N225 and the broader TOPIX both added 2.0 percent as of 0528 GMT on Thursday.

The following stocks were on the move: **MAZDA (7261.T: Quote, Profile, Research) SOARS, MERRILL, LEHMAN RAISE PRICE TARGET**

Mazda Motor Corp rose 8.1 percent to 670 yen after Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers raised their price targets on the stock to 700 yen and 580 yen, respectively.

Lehman analyst Tsuyoshi Mochimaru said he expected first-quarter results, due out next week, to be stronger than expected thanks to firmer sales overseas of the Mazda2 and Mazda6 cars.

Mazda executives also repeated overnight they were confident of their own U.S. sales despite a sharp downturn in the market. [ID:nN23421344] 0527 GMT **HOKKOKU (2906.Q: Quote, Profile, Research) JUMPS AFTER ANNOUNCING SHARE BUYBACK**

Hokkoku Co Ltd, which supplies food to noodle franchise shops, jumped 7.0 percent to 137 yen after saying on Thursday it would buy back up to 100 million yen worth of its own shares, or around 4.9 percent of all shares outstanding, from July 25 to Sept. 30. 0427 GMT