Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 0.31%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gas&Water, Power and Construction sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.31%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (TYO:8801), which rose 7.82% or 121.50 points to trade at 1,671.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. (TYO:8804) added 7.61% or 191.00 points to end at 2,706.00 and Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd (TYO:8802) was up 6.92% or 198.00 points to 3,056.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. (TYO:9983), which fell 4.40% or 1,940.00 points to trade at 42,330.00 at the close. Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (TYO:9007) declined 3.07% or 58.00 points to end at 1,835.00 and Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) was down 2.42% or 26.00 points to 1,045.50.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1813 to 1789 and 264 ended unchanged.

Shares in Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. (TYO:8804) rose to 5-year highs; rising 7.61% or 191.00 to 2,706.00. Shares in Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd (TYO:8802) rose to 5-year highs; rising 6.92% or 198.00 to 3,056.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 1.74% to 20.47.

Crude oil for May delivery was up 0.99% or 0.84 to $85.86 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in June rose 0.84% or 0.75 to hit $90.49 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract rose 1.50% or 35.60 to trade at $2,408.30 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was down 0.03% to 153.23, while EUR/JPY fell 0.34% to 163.85.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.26% at 105.33.