Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 1.40%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Transportation Equipment, Automobiles&Parts and Rubber sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 1.40% to hit a new 6-months high.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003), which rose 15.85% or 71.00 points to trade at 519.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Kikkoman Corp. (TYO:2801) added 11.84% or 850.00 points to end at 8,030.00 and Kansai Electric Power Co Inc (TYO:9503) was up 9.62% or 129.00 points to 1,470.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were NGK Insulators, Ltd. (TYO:5333), which fell 4.55% or 81.00 points to trade at 1,700.00 at the close. Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4063) declined 4.43% or 179.00 points to end at 3,863.00 and Toyota Tsusho Corp. (TYO:8015) was down 4.10% or 240.00 points to 5,610.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2816 to 809 and 217 ended unchanged.

Shares in Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 15.85% or 71.00 to 519.00. Shares in Kansai Electric Power Co Inc (TYO:9503) rose to 3-years highs; rising 9.62% or 129.00 to 1,470.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 2.38% to 16.42.

Crude oil for June delivery was up 0.16% or 0.12 to $74.88 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in July rose 0.28% or 0.22 to hit $78.44 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract fell 0.39% or 7.80 to trade at $1,991.20 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 1.33% to 135.73, while EUR/JPY rose 1.12% to 149.37.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.32% at 101.58.