Japanese stocks finished higher on Monday, supported by strong gains in the real estate, banking, and textile sectors, which lifted overall market sentiment.
By the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 3.03%, marking its strongest close in one month.
Top gainers and laggards
Leading the session were Tokyo Electric Power Co., which surged 9.23% to close at 718.00, followed by IHI Corp., which climbed 8.99% to 3,002.00. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also posted a strong performance, rising 8.39% to end the day at 4,162.00.
On the downside, Nitori Holdings slipped 2.21% to 2,682.00. M3 Inc. declined 1.96% to 2,072.50, while Nidec Corp. eased 1.88% to finish at 2,092.00.
Overall market breadth was positive, with advancing stocks outpacing decliners on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2,342 to 1,295, while 206 shares closed unchanged.
Volatility, commodities, and currencies
The Nikkei Volatility Index, which tracks implied volatility on Nikkei 225 options, edged up 0.42% to 23.77.
In commodities, crude oil prices weakened. February crude futures fell 0.65% to $56.95 a barrel, while Brent crude for March delivery slipped 0.54% to $60.42. Gold moved in the opposite direction, with February futures rising 2.35% to $4,431.50 per troy ounce.
In currency markets, the yen softened against the dollar, with USD/JPY up 0.13% at 157.04. The euro slipped slightly versus the yen, with EUR/JPY down 0.14% to 183.57. Meanwhile, U.S. Dollar Index futures gained 0.25% to 98.40.
