By Yuka Obayashi and Noriyuki Hirata TOKYO (Reuters) -Nippon Steel shares rose on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump approved its $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel, clearing a key hurdle in its 18-month pursuit and securing access to a vital market for its growth strategy.

Nippon Steel Corp. won conditional US approval for its $14.1 billion purchase of United States Steel Corp., capping a lengthy saga in a tie-up that will create one of the world’s largest steel companies.

The latest revelations expand on an earlier executive order signed by President Donald Trump that authorised the foreign investment as part of a national security agreement.