Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Transportation Equipment, Communication and Retail sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.73% to hit a new 3-months high.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. (T:9983), which rose 7.89% or 4380.0 points to trade at 59880.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Chiyoda Corp. (T:6366) added 6.38% or 19.0 points to end at 317.0 and Softbank Group Corp. (T:9984) was up 4.89% or 535.0 points to 11475.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. (T:1925), which fell 5.55% or 192.0 points to trade at 3266.0 at the close. Ricoh Co., Ltd. (T:7752) declined 3.09% or 36.0 points to end at 1129.0 and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (T:4506) was down 2.98% or 77.0 points to 2503.0.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2075 to 1376 and 253 ended unchanged.
Shares in Softbank Group Corp. (T:9984) rose to 5-year highs; rising 4.89% or 535.0 to 11475.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 3.47% to 15.60.
Crude oil for May delivery was up 0.94% or 0.60 to $64.18 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in June rose 0.75% or 0.53 to hit $71.36 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract rose 0.20% or 2.65 to trade at $1295.95 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was up 0.27% to 111.95, while EUR/JPY rose 0.74% to 126.53.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.26% at 96.553.