Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 0.72%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.72%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519), which rose 17.54% or 1,243.00 points to trade at 8,328.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506) added 16.45% or 100.00 points to end at 708.00 and Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) was up 6.39% or 25.90 points to 431.10 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735), which fell 3.97% or 380.00 points to trade at 9,196.00 at the close. Recruit Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:6098) declined 3.58% or 275.00 points to end at 7,416.00 and SMC Corp (TYO:6273) was down 2.69% or 1,200.00 points to 43,400.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 3155 to 536 and 166 ended unchanged.

Shares in Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519) rose to all time highs; up 17.54% or 1,243.00 to 8,328.00. Shares in SMC Corp (TYO:6273) fell to 5-year lows; falling 2.69% or 1,200.00 to 43,400.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 1.10% to 27.84.

Crude oil for May delivery was up 0.40% or 0.26 to $64.68 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in June rose 3.04% or 2.00 to hit $67.85 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract fell 0.15% or 5.10 to trade at $3,341.30 a troy ounce.

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USD/JPY was down 0.04% to 142.38, while EUR/JPY fell 0.03% to 161.81.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 99.13.

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