Key Points
- The Nikkei 225 fell 0.94%, led by the weakness of the insurance, financial services, and mining sectors.
- Falling stocks outpaced advancing ones by 2,672 to 975, with 228 remaining unchanged. The Nikkei Volatility Index fell by 2.09%.
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519), DIC Corp. (TYO:4631), and Nintendo Co. Ltd. (TYO:7974) were among the top performers.
- Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (TYO:9107), Lasertec Corp. (TYO:6920), and Nippon Yusen K.K. (TYO:9101) were among the worst performers.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed Thursday with a loss of 0.94% or 375.97 to 39,605.09, weighed down by declines in the Insurance, Financial Services, and Mining sectors. The Tokyo Stock Exchange saw broad-based selling pressure as falling stocks outpaced advancing ones by 2,672 to 975, with 228 remaining unchanged. The Nikkei Volatility Index, which gauges the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, increased by 2.09% or 0.51 to 24.82, indicating investor concerns over market fluctuations.
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519) led the day’s gains on the Nikkei 225, advancing 3.53% to close at 6,954.00, a rise of 237.00 JPY. DIC Corp. (TYO:4631) followed with a gain of 2.77% or 95.00, ending the session at 3,520.00 JPY, while Nintendo Co. Ltd. (TYO:7974) added 2.43%, closing at 9,119.00 after gaining 216.00 JPY.
However, significant losses among key players dampened the day’s performance. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (TYO:9107) was the worst performer, dropping 5.80% to finish at 2,121.00, losing 130.00 JPY. Lasertec Corp. (TYO:6920) also struggled, falling 5.23% to 15,505.00, a loss of 855.00 JPY. Nippon Yusen K.K. (TYO:9101) was behind, shedding 5.15% to close at 5,062.00, down 275.00 JPY.
In commodities trading, crude oil prices increased, with February delivery contracts rising 0.22% to $73.48 per barrel. Brent oil for March delivery followed suit, increasing 0.22% to $76.33 per barrel. Gold futures for February delivery rose more pronounced, gaining 0.37% to trade at $2,682.29 per troy ounce.
In currency markets, the USD/JPY pair declined slightly, down 0.10% to 158.18, while the EUR/JPY fell 0.24% to 162.99. The US Dollar Index Futures showed a modest gain, up 0.07% to 109.00.
