Japanese stocks finished lower on Thursday, with declines in the paper & pulp, transport, and communication sectors weighing on the broader market.
By the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 had fallen 0.73%, snapping earlier momentum despite a strong advance among select individual names.
Top gainers and laggards
Among the best performers, Fukuoka Financial Group surged 10.27%, gaining 622 points to close at 6,676.00. J.Front Retailing climbed 8.86% to 2,623.50, while Panasonic rose 8.41% to finish at 2,378.50.
On the downside, Daikin Industries dropped 7.43% to 17,935.00. SoftBank Group fell 7.01% to 3,912.00, and NEC slid 6.88% to end at 4,397.00.
Overall market breadth was positive, with advancing stocks outnumbering decliners by 2,370 to 1,195 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, while 254 shares finished unchanged.
Several stocks posted notable milestones. Fukuoka Financial Group and J.Front Retailing both closed at all-time highs, while Panasonic reached a five-year high.
Volatility, currencies, and commodities
Market volatility eased slightly, with the Nikkei Volatility Index edging down 0.08% to 35.80.
In commodities, crude oil prices retreated. U.S. crude for March delivery fell 1.90% to $63.90 a barrel, while Brent crude for April dropped 1.91% to $68.13. Gold futures for April also slipped 0.25% to $4,938.30 an ounce.
In currency markets, the U.S. dollar strengthened against the yen, with USD/JPY up 0.20% at 157.01. The euro edged marginally higher versus the yen, while U.S. Dollar Index futures rose 0.19% to 97.67.
