Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Marine Transport, Transport and Transportation Equipment sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.55%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Eisai Co., Ltd. (T:4523), which rose 9.84% or 549.0 points to trade at 6126.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Hokuetsu Kishu Paper Co., Ltd. (T:3865) added 5.46% or 36.0 points to end at 695.0 and Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (T:7735) was up 4.90% or 485.0 points to 10380.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Kobe Steel, Ltd. (T:5406), which fell 4.72% or 52.5 points to trade at 1059.0 at the close. Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. (T:5706) declined 4.64% or 222.5 points to end at 4570.0 and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (T:7012) was down 4.50% or 160.0 points to 3397.5.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1778 to 1549 and 220 ended unchanged.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 6.91% to 27.39.
Crude oil for April delivery was down 0.05% or 0.03 to $61.12 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May fell 0.06% or 0.04 to hit $64.30 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 0.09% or 1.20 to trade at $1328.80 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.13% to 105.95, while EUR/JPY fell 0.15% to 131.47.
The US Dollar Index Futures was unchanged 0.00% at 89.56.