Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Precision Instruments, Chemical and Retail sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 1.02% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (T:4506), which rose 6.08% or 167.0 points to trade at 2914.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (T:1332) added 4.39% or 32.0 points to end at 761.0 and Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (T:6976) was up 4.29% or 94.0 points to 2286.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (T:9107), which fell 2.86% or 45.0 points to trade at 1527.0 at the close. Showa Denko K.K. (T:4004) declined 2.77% or 115.0 points to end at 4030.0 and Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (T:4005) was down 2.54% or 14.0 points to 538.0.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1959 to 1509 and 243 ended unchanged.
Shares in Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (T:1332) rose to 5-year highs; up 4.39% or 32.0 to 761.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 0.66% to 16.78.
Crude oil for April delivery was up 0.84% or 0.48 to $57.70 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May rose 0.80% or 0.53 to hit $66.84 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract fell 0.51% or 6.75 to trade at $1309.35 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was up 0.47% to 111.89, while EUR/JPY rose 0.35% to 127.07.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.24% at 96.278.