Japanese stocks closed lower on Friday, as declines in several key sectors weighed on the broader market. Losses in the Paper & Pulp, Transport, and Communication sectors were the main drivers behind the downturn.
By the end of trading in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index dropped 1.40%, reflecting weaker investor sentiment across the Japanese stock market.
Top Performers on the Nikkei 225
Despite the overall decline, several companies posted notable gains during the session.
Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. led the market’s advance, rising 6.08% (1,760 points) to close at 30,690, reaching a five-year high.
Other strong performers included:
- Marubeni Corp., which climbed 4.02% (216 points) to finish at 5,591.
- GS Yuasa Corp., which increased 3.92% (196 points) to close at 5,193 in late trading.
Biggest Decliners in the Session
On the downside, several stocks recorded sharp losses.
- BayCurrent Consulting Inc. dropped 6.67% (308 points) to end at 4,307.
- Honda Motor Co. Ltd. fell 5.56% (80.50 points) to close at 1,368.
- Renesas Electronics Corp. declined 5.24% (136 points) to 2,461.50.
Overall market breadth was negative, with declining stocks significantly outnumbering advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. A total of 2,427 shares fell, compared with 1,147 gainers, while 221 stocks ended the session unchanged.
Market Volatility and Commodities
Market volatility also increased during the session. The Nikkei Volatility Index, which tracks the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, rose 3.33% to 44.37.
In commodities markets, oil prices moved higher:
- WTI crude oil for April delivery gained 0.50% to $96.21 per barrel.
- Brent crude for May delivery climbed 0.79% to $101.25 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures for April delivery declined 0.62%, falling $31.86 to $5,093.94 per troy ounce.
Currency Market Movements
In the foreign exchange market, the Japanese yen weakened slightly against the U.S. dollar.
- USD/JPY rose 0.03% to 159.39.
- EUR/JPY slipped 0.26% to 182.97.
The U.S. Dollar Index Futures, which measure the dollar against a basket of major currencies, increased 0.23% to 99.99, indicating continued strength in the greenback.
