Key Points:
- Japan stocks faced a downturn, with losses predominantly observed in the Shipbuilding and Chemical sectors; the Nikkei 225 index declined by 0.97%.
- Itochu Corp. (TYO:8001), Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531), and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. Ltd (TYO:4506) were the top performers.
- Shimizu Corp. (TYO:1803), Nintendo Co Ltd (TYO:7974), and Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) were the worst performers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones, with 1928 stocks declining, 1693 advancing, and 257 ending unchanged; the Nikkei Volatility rose by 5.06%.
After Wednesday’s trading session, Japanese stocks faced a downturn, with losses predominantly observed in the Shipbuilding, Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic, and Financial Services sectors. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index declined by 0.97%, reflecting the prevailing negative sentiment among investors.
Among the top performers on the Nikkei 225 was Itochu Corp. (TYO:8001), which surged by an impressive 6.37% or 405.00 points, reaching 6,765.00 at the close. Similarly, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531) and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. Ltd (TYO:4506) recorded notable gains in late trade, adding 4.26% and 4.00%, respectively.
Conversely, Shimizu Corp. (TYO:1803) emerged as one of the worst performers, witnessing a significant decline of 8.96% or 86 points to trade at 876.00 at the close. Nintendo Co Ltd (TYO:7974) and Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) also faced losses, declining by 4.19% and 3.56% respectively.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with 1928 stocks declining, 1693 advancing, and 257 ending unchanged. Shares in Itochu Corp. (TYO:8001) rose to all-time highs. The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, rose by 5.06% to 20.12, indicating an increase in market volatility.
In commodities trading, Crude oil for May delivery experienced a slight decline of 0.02% to $85.13 a barrel. Meanwhile, Brent oil for June delivery rose by 0.07% to hit $88.98 a barrel. The June Gold Futures contract surged by 0.86% to trade at $2,301.45 a troy ounce.
In currency markets, USD/JPY increased slightly by 0.06% to 151.63, while EUR/JPY rose by 0.06% to 163.31. The US Dollar Index Futures decreased slightly by 0.03% to 104.54.
