Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic, Power and Gas & Water sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.45%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd. (T:5232), which rose 3.96% or 20.0 points to trade at 525.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (T:6976) added 3.06% or 54.0 points to end at 1818.0 and Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (T:5233) was up 3.00% or 11.0 points to 377.5 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Toho Zinc Co., Ltd. (T:5707), which fell 3.29% or 14.0 points to trade at 412.0 at the close. Kobe Steel, Ltd. (T:5406) declined 2.91% or 31.0 points to end at 1032.5 and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (T:3099) was down 2.86% or 34.0 points to 1155.0.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1986 to 1201 and 276 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd. (T:5232) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.96% or 20.0 to 525.0. Shares in Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (T:6976) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.06% or 54.0 to 1818.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 1.73% to 13.52.
Crude oil for August delivery was down 0.48% or 0.21 to $43.30 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in August fell 0.54% or 0.25 to hit $45.77 a barrel, while the August Gold Futures contract rose 0.32% or 4.02 to trade at $1247.52 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.30% to 111.12, while EUR/JPY fell 0.34% to 123.68.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 97.43.