Key Points:
- Japan’s stocks declined, with losses in shipbuilding, insurance, and banking. The Nikkei 225 index lost 0.26% at the close in Tokyo.
- Top performers included NEC Corp. (TYO:6701), Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (TYO:5801), and Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TYO:8035).
- Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with 2499 stocks declining, 1133 advancing, and 238 ending unchanged.
- Crude oil prices experienced a moderate increase, while gold futures displayed a slight decline. USD/JPY and EUR/JPY faced decreases.
Japanese stocks faced a downturn after Wednesday’s market close, with losses particularly prominent in the Shipbuilding, Insurance, and Banking sectors. The Nikkei 225 index lost 0.26% or 101.54 points to 38,695.97 at the close in Tokyo, reflecting the challenging day for Japanese equities.
Among the top performers on the Nikkei 225, NEC Corp. (TYO:6701) demonstrated resilience by rising 3.85% or 383.00 points, reaching 10,325.00 at the close. Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (TYO:5801) also contributed to positive movements, adding 2.98% or 87.00 points to finish at 3,006.00. Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TYO:8035) experienced a gain of 2.41%, closing at 37,390.00 with an increase of 880.00 points in late trade.
On the downside, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (TYO:9107) declined by 3.74%, dropping 250.00 points to trade at 6,431.00 at the close. Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. (TYO:7832) declined by 3.22%, losing 93.00 points to end at 2,791.00. Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519) experienced a decrease of 3.18%, closing at 6,219.00 with a loss of 204.00 points.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange witnessed more falling stocks than advancing ones, with 2499 stocks declining, 1133 advancing, and 238 ending unchanged. The Nikkei Volatility, measuring the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, rose by 0.05% to 21.96, reaching a new one-month high.
In commodities trading, crude oil for April delivery increased by 0.76% to $78.15 per barrel. Brent oil for May delivery also rose by 0.68% to $82.48 per barrel. However, April Gold Futures displayed a slight decline of 0.08%, with a decrease of 1.65 points, trading at $2,164.45 per troy ounce.
In the currency market, USD/JPY was down by 0.10% to 147.53, while EUR/JPY fell by 0.08% to 161.22. The US Dollar Index Futures experienced a minor decrease of 0.04%, settling at 102.51.
