Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 1.22%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Retail, Chemical, Petroleum&Plastic and Precision Instruments sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 1.22% to hit a new 5-year high.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003), which rose 18.61% or 150.00 points to trade at 956.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) added 15.97% or 1,502.00 points to end at 10,910.00 and Rakuten Inc (TYO:4755) was up 15.82% or 99.90 points to 731.20 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (TYO:7911), which fell 9.39% or 373.00 points to trade at 3,599.00 at the close. Toho Zinc Co., Ltd. (TYO:5707) declined 6.65% or 71.00 points to end at 997.00 and Sony Corp (TYO:6758) was down 6.48% or 950.00 points to 13,710.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2699 to 1026 and 159 ended unchanged.

Shares in Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 18.61% or 150.00 to 956.00. Shares in Ebara Corp. (TYO:6361) rose to 5-year highs; rising 15.97% or 1,502.00 to 10,910.00. Shares in Toho Zinc Co., Ltd. (TYO:5707) fell to 5-year lows; losing 6.65% or 71.00 to 997.00. Shares in Rakuten Inc (TYO:4755) rose to 52-week highs; rising 15.82% or 99.90 to 731.20.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 1.19% to 19.48.

Crude oil for March delivery was down 0.43% or 0.33 to $76.31 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in April fell 0.39% or 0.32 to hit $81.28 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract fell 0.03% or 0.65 to trade at $2,003.65 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was down 0.24% to 150.18, while EUR/JPY fell 0.27% to 161.13.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 104.58.