Japan’s stock market closed lower on Tuesday, with declines in the Paper & Pulp, Transport, and Communication sectors weighing on overall sentiment.
By the end of trading in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.22%, reflecting a modest pullback across Japanese equities.
Among the top gainers, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha surged 6.33% to close at 2,813.00, reaching its highest level in three years. Daiichi Sankyo also performed strongly, climbing 5.93% to 2,938.00, while Nippon Yusen advanced 5.67% to finish at 5,943.00, marking a new all-time high.
On the downside, Furukawa Electric recorded the steepest losses of the session, dropping 6.68% to 27,440.00. Sumitomo Electric Industries declined 6.16% to 9,525.00, and Lasertec fell 5.16% to close at 35,850.00.
Market breadth remained positive, as advancing stocks outnumbered decliners on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1,974 to 1,554, while 271 shares ended unchanged.
In volatility markets, the Nikkei Volatility Index, which tracks expected fluctuations in Nikkei 225 options, declined 7.21% to 42.50, indicating reduced market uncertainty.
In commodities, oil prices moved higher. U.S. crude for May delivery rose 4.55% to $96.67 per barrel, while Brent crude gained 3.52% to $103.74. Gold futures for April delivery edged up 0.29% to $5,016.95 per ounce.
In the foreign exchange market, the USD/JPY pair increased 0.18% to 159.36, while EUR/JPY remained nearly unchanged, dipping 0.03% to 183.00. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index futures rose 0.29% to 99.75.
