Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Transport, Steel and Transportation Equipment sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.79%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (T:4506), which rose 6.01% or 195.0 points to trade at 3440.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (T:4568) added 3.98% or 158.0 points to end at 4130.0 and Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. (T:8804) was up 3.94% or 49.0 points to 1293.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were KDDI Corp. (T:9433), which fell 3.79% or 103.0 points to trade at 2616.0 at the close. Familymart Ltd (T:8028) declined 3.41% or 570.0 points to end at 16130.0 and Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp (T:9432) was down 3.06% or 145.0 points to 4600.0.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2090 to 1399 and 209 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (T:4506) rose to 5-year highs; up 6.01% or 195.0 to 3440.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 0.68% to 20.49.
Crude oil for January delivery was up 0.02% or 0.01 to $50.30 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in February fell 0.61% or 0.36 to hit $58.73 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract rose 0.16% or 2.00 to trade at $1231.80 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.35% to 113.29, while EUR/JPY fell 0.17% to 129.00.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.06% at 96.627.