Japan Stocks Close Higher as Nikkei 225 Gains 0.39%
Japanese stocks finished Thursday’s trading session in positive territory. Gains in real estate, banking and textile companies helped lift the broader market.
At the closing bell in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index had advanced by 0.39%.
Sumitomo Metal Mining Leads Nikkei 225 Gainers
Sumitomo Metal Mining was the strongest performer on the Nikkei 225. Its shares climbed 5.07%, or 381 points, to close at 7,902.
Lasertec also recorded a strong session. The semiconductor equipment company gained 4.98%, adding 2,140 points to finish at 45,130.
Meanwhile, Advantest shares rose 4.11%, or 1,215 points, to end the day at 30,800.
Japanese Retail Stocks Come Under Pressure
Several major Japanese retail companies moved sharply lower during the session.
Takashimaya was the weakest performer on the Nikkei 225. Its shares fell 6.14%, losing 147.50 points to close at 2,255.
J.Front Retailing declined 5.39%, or 168 points, to finish at 2,948. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings also dropped 4.65%, losing 179 points to end at 3,668.
Declining Stocks Slightly Outnumber Gainers
Despite the Nikkei 225’s positive close, overall market breadth remained nearly balanced.
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, 1,726 stocks declined, while 1,723 advanced. Another 294 companies ended the session unchanged.
This suggests that gains among several large index components helped support the Nikkei 225, even though slightly more stocks finished lower across the wider market.
Nikkei Volatility Index Declines
The Nikkei Volatility Index fell by 1.45% to 32.59.
The index measures expected volatility based on Nikkei 225 options. A decline generally indicates that investors expect slightly less market turbulence in the near term.
Oil Prices Rise as Gold Futures Fall
Energy prices moved higher during the session.
Crude oil futures for September delivery gained 2.12%, or $1.84, to trade at $88.67 per barrel.
Brent crude for September delivery increased by 2.93%, or $2.76, reaching $96.83 per barrel.
In contrast, August gold futures fell by 0.72%, or $30, to trade at $4,121.90 per troy ounce.
Japanese Yen Trades Mixed
The Japanese yen showed limited movement against the U.S. dollar.
The USD/JPY exchange rate slipped by 0.02% to 163.12. Meanwhile, EUR/JPY rose by 0.11% to 186.37.
The U.S. Dollar Index Futures also moved lower, declining by 0.11% to 100.85.
Nikkei 225 Supported by Sector Gains
Overall, Japanese stocks ended the session higher as gains in banking, real estate and textile companies supported the Nikkei 225.
However, the narrow difference between advancing and declining stocks showed that market sentiment remained mixed. Strong gains among selected mining and semiconductor-related companies helped offset sharp losses in major retail stocks.
