Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 2.13%

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

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 2.13% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003), which rose 26.22% or 300.00 points to trade at 1,444.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735) added 10.16% or 1,835.00 points to end at 19,895.00 and Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857) was up 7.49% or 494.00 points to 7,088.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519), which fell 4.11% or 242.00 points to trade at 5,648.00 at the close. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506) declined 2.51% or 9.00 points to end at 349.00 and CyberAgent Inc (TYO:4751) was down 2.33% or 24.50 points to 1,029.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2104 to 1541 and 247 ended unchanged.

Shares in Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding (TYO:7003) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 26.22% or 300.00 to 1,444.00. Shares in Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735) rose to all time highs; gaining 10.16% or 1,835.00 to 19,895.00. Shares in Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857) rose to all time highs; rising 7.49% or 494.00 to 7,088.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 5.66% to 20.55.

Crude oil for April delivery was up 0.36% or 0.28 to $78.19 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in April rose 0.33% or 0.27 to hit $83.30 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 0.28% or 5.60 to trade at $2,039.90 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was down 0.04% to 150.22, while EUR/JPY rose 0.11% to 162.80.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.14% at 103.77.