Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic and Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.22%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Eisai Co., Ltd. (T:4523), which rose 6.76% or 434.0 points to trade at 6850.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. (T:4151) added 5.11% or 86.0 points to end at 1768.0 and Shimizu Corp. (T:1803) was up 4.29% or 39.0 points to 949.0 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Casio Computer Co., Ltd. (T:6952), which fell 6.72% or 150.0 points to trade at 2081.0 at the close. NTN Corp. (T:6472) declined 5.06% or 16.0 points to end at 300.0 and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (T:3099) was down 4.85% or 59.0 points to 1157.0.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 990 to 767 and 149 ended unchanged.
Shares in NTN Corp. (T:6472) fell to 52-week lows; falling 5.06% or 16.0 to 300.0. Shares in Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (T:3099) fell to 52-week lows; losing 4.85% or 59.0 to 1157.0.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 0.53% to 28.31.
Crude oil for May delivery was up 1.06% or 0.40 to $38.15 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in June rose 0.88% or 0.35 to hit $40.19 a barrel, while the June Gold contract rose 0.56% or 6.80 to trade at $1230.60 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.89% to 108.81, while EUR/JPY fell 0.49% to 124.53.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.42% at 94.09.