Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 0.18%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Communication, Financial Services and Electrical/Machinery sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.18% to hit a new 5-year high.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803), which rose 23.85% or 300.00 points to trade at 1,558.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (TYO:3105) added 9.24% or 115.00 points to end at 1,359.50 and SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984) was up 8.72% or 641.00 points to 7,991.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201), which fell 11.56% or 72.30 points to trade at 553.10 at the close. Nikon Corp. (TYO:7731) declined 7.24% or 111.50 points to end at 1,429.50 and Teijin Ltd. (TYO:3401) was down 7.22% or 97.50 points to 1,253.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2355 to 1314 and 213 ended unchanged.

Shares in Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803) rose to 5-year highs; rising 23.85% or 300.00 to 1,558.00. Shares in Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (TYO:3105) rose to 5-year highs; rising 9.24% or 115.00 to 1,359.50. Shares in SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 8.72% or 641.00 to 7,991.00. Shares in Teijin Ltd. (TYO:3401) fell to 52-week lows; falling 7.22% or 97.50 to 1,253.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 2.11% to 19.80.

Crude oil for March delivery was down 0.08% or 0.06 to $76.16 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in April fell 0.20% or 0.16 to hit $81.47 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 0.00% or 0.05 to trade at $2,047.95 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.06% to 149.40, while EUR/JPY fell 0.01% to 160.92.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 104.07.