Key Points
- Nikkei 225 rose by 0.51%, with Paper & Pulp, Steel, and Warehousing sectors leading gains.
- Japan Steel Works Ltd. (TYO:5631), Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803), and Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) were among the top performers.
- Bandai Namco Holdings, Inc. (TYO:7832), Konica Minolta, Inc. (TYO:4902), and Astellas Pharma, Inc. (TYO:4503) were among the worst performers.
- 2,359 stocks rose, compared to 1,188 falling stocks and 309 remaining unchanged. The Nikkei Volatility Index declined by 5.63%.
Japan’s stock market closed positive on Tuesday, driven by gains in the Paper & pulp, Steel, and Warehousing sectors. The Nikkei 225 index rose by 0.51% or 193.58 to 38,414.43, reflecting investor optimism in these industries.
The session’s standout was Japan Steel Works Ltd. (TYO:5631), which soared 11.55% to a five-year high of 6,499.00 yen, adding 673.00. The rally was fueled by strong demand for steel products, reflecting the sector’s robust performance. Similarly, Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803) saw a 7.17% or 378 gain, closing at 5,650.00 yen, driven by increased demand for its industrial materials. Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) also performed well, climbing 5.21% to finish at 2,323.00 yen.
However, not all stocks enjoyed gains. Bandai Namco Holdings, Inc. (TYO:7832) dropped 3.83% or 126 to 3,167.00 yen, weighed down by weaker-than-expected earnings. Konica Minolta, Inc. (TYO:4902) declined 3.33% or 23, ending at 664.00 yen, as concerns about its imaging business persisted. Astellas Pharma, Inc. (TYO:4503) also fell, losing 3.31% or 54 to close at 1,561.00 yen, amid regulatory uncertainties.
Advancing stocks outpaced the Tokyo Stock Exchange decliners, with 2,359 rising compared to 1,188 falling and 309 remaining unchanged. The Nikkei Volatility Index, which gauges market sentiment, declined by 5.63% or 1.47 to 24.65, indicating reduced investor fear.
In commodities, crude oil saw minor changes. January delivery crude oil fell by 0.07% to $69.12 a barrel, while Brent oil for January delivery slipped 0.03% to $73.28 a barrel. Meanwhile, December Gold Futures climbed 0.46%, settling at $2,626.50 per troy ounce, reflecting a shift to safe-haven assets.
The USD/JPY weakened slightly by 0.09% to 154.51 in the forex market, while the EUR/JPY dropped 0.19% to 163.59. The US Dollar Index Futures was marginally lower, down 0.01% at 106.19.
