Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Paper & Pulp, Railway & Bus and Real Estate sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 2.72% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (T:3382), which rose 5.90% or 214.0 points to trade at 3842.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Takara Holdings Inc. (T:2531) added 0.24% or 2.0 points to end at 841.0 and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (T:9531) was up 0.20% or 4.5 points to 2205.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Kobe Steel, Ltd. (T:5406), which fell 7.29% or 29.0 points to trade at 369.0 at the close. JFE Holdings, Inc. (T:5411) declined 7.20% or 69.0 points to end at 889.0 and Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (T:5202) was down 7.16% or 34.0 points to 441.0.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 3563 to 148 and 59 ended unchanged.
Shares in Kobe Steel, Ltd. (T:5406) fell to 5-year lows; falling 7.29% or 29.0 to 369.0. Shares in JFE Holdings, Inc. (T:5411) fell to all time lows; down 7.20% or 69.0 to 889.0. Shares in Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (T:5202) fell to all time lows; down 7.16% or 34.0 to 441.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was unchanged 0.00% to 28.07.
Crude oil for April delivery was down 0.98% or 0.45 to $45.45 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May fell 0.96% or 0.48 to hit $49.51 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 0.19% or 3.15 to trade at $1671.15 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.24% to 105.91, while EUR/JPY fell 0.27% to 118.97.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.28% at 96.515.