Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic, Real Estate and Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 3.71% to hit a new 52-week low.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (T:1332), which rose 0.17% or 1.0 points to trade at 606.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Kao Corp. (T:4452) added 0.07% or 4.0 points to end at 5629.0 and Takashimaya Co., Ltd. (T:8233) was down 1.02% or 10.0 points to 972.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sony Corp. (T:6758), which fell 7.97% or 212.5 points to trade at 2454.0 at the close. Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (T:6976) declined 7.05% or 107.0 points to end at 1411.0 and Softbank Corp. (T:9984) was down 7.02% or 354.0 points to 4692.0.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1845 to 44.
Shares in Sony Corp. (T:6758) fell to 52-week lows; falling 7.97% or 212.5 to 2454.0. Shares in Softbank Corp. (T:9984) fell to 52-week lows; falling 7.02% or 354.0 to 4692.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 15.99% to 38.22 a new 3-months high.
Crude oil for March delivery was down 2.59% or 0.77 to $28.80 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March fell 1.89% or 0.55 to hit $28.27 a barrel, while the February Gold contract rose 0.29% or 3.20 to trade at $1092.30 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.82% to 116.67, while EUR/JPY fell 0.37% to 127.80.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.32% at 98.86.