Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Paper & Pulp, Steel and Pharmaceutical Industry sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 1.10%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (T:4506), which rose 6.37% or 230.0 points to trade at 3840.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Kikkoman Corp. (T:2801) added 5.44% or 310.0 points to end at 6010.0 and Sapporo Holdings Ltd. (T:2501) was up 4.35% or 103.0 points to 2470.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (T:6976), which fell 4.46% or 73.0 points to trade at 1564.0 at the close. Toho Co., Ltd. (T:9602) declined 3.39% or 140.0 points to end at 3985.0 and Chiyoda Corp. (T:6366) was down 3.14% or 10.0 points to 308.0.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1957 to 1574 and 176 ended unchanged.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 10.28% to 23.73.
Crude oil for February delivery was up 1.00% or 0.50 to $50.28 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March rose 0.90% or 0.53 to hit $59.25 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract fell 0.17% or 2.15 to trade at $1283.75 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was up 0.11% to 108.84, while EUR/JPY rose 0.30% to 124.77.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.15% at 95.338.