The Japanese stock market experienced a decline in Thursday’s closing session, with losses primarily observed in the Transportation Equipment, Shipbuilding, and Power sectors.
At the close of the trading day in Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell by 0.80%.
Among the notable gainers on the Nikkei 225, Recruit Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:6098) emerged as the top performer, registering a substantial increase of 7.21% or 392.00 points, closing at 5,826.00. Following suit, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4063) climbed 3.48%, adding 174.00 points to end at 5,174.00, while Kao Corp. (TYO:4452) saw a rise of 2.33%, or 135.00 points, reaching 5,925.00 in late trade.
Conversely, the session witnessed notable declines, with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (TYO:7211) experiencing the most significant drop, falling by 6.78% or 30.70 points, closing at 422.10. Toho Co., Ltd. (TYO:9602) saw a decline of 6.20%, shedding 321.00 points to end at 4,854.00, while Mazda Motor Corp (TYO:7261) recorded a decrease of 5.91%, or 91.50 points, closing at 1,456.00.
Market statistics from the Tokyo Stock Exchange revealed that falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones, with 2745 declining, 927 advancing, and 208 remaining unchanged.
Recruit Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:6098) reached a 52-week high during the session, surging by 7.21% to close at 5,826.00. On the flip side, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (TYO:7211) hit a 52-week low, falling by 6.78% to 422.10. Kao Corp. (TYO:4452) also reached a 52-week high, climbing 2.33% to close at 5,925.00.
The Nikkei Volatility, which gauges the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, experienced a 4.48% decline, closing at 17.28.
In commodities trading, crude oil for January delivery rose by 0.48% to $69.80 a barrel. Brent oil for February delivery increased by 0.58% to $74.69 a barrel. The February Gold Futures contract recorded a rise of 2.60%, or 51.85, reaching $2,049.15 a troy ounce.
Currency markets saw the USD/JPY pair decline by 0.77% to 141.78, while the EUR/JPY pair fell by 0.55% to 154.54.
The US Dollar Index Futures experienced a 0.24% decrease, closing at 102.23.