Japan stocks lower at close of trade; Nikkei 225 down 0.80%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Transportation Equipment, Shipbuilding and Power sectors led shares lower.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.80%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Recruit Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:6098), which rose 7.21% or 392.00 points to trade at 5,826.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4063) added 3.48% or 174.00 points to end at 5,174.00 and Kao Corp. (TYO:4452) was up 2.33% or 135.00 points to 5,925.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (TYO:7211), which fell 6.78% or 30.70 points to trade at 422.10 at the close. Toho Co., Ltd. (TYO:9602) declined 6.20% or 321.00 points to end at 4,854.00 and Mazda Motor Corp (TYO:7261) was down 5.91% or 91.50 points to 1,456.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2745 to 927 and 208 ended unchanged.

Shares in Recruit Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:6098) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 7.21% or 392.00 to 5,826.00. Shares in Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (TYO:7211) fell to 52-week lows; losing 6.78% or 30.70 to 422.10. Shares in Kao Corp. (TYO:4452) rose to 52-week highs; up 2.33% or 135.00 to 5,925.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 4.48% to 17.28.

Crude oil for January delivery was up 0.48% or 0.33 to $69.80 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in February rose 0.58% or 0.43 to hit $74.69 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract rose 2.60% or 51.85 to trade at $2,049.15 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was down 0.77% to 141.78, while EUR/JPY fell 0.55% to 154.54.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.24% at 102.23.