Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Paper & Pulp, Marine Transport and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.22%.
The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (T:7003), which rose 4.46% or 87.0 points to trade at 2036.0 at the close. Meanwhile, Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc. (T:8354) added 3.00% or 20.0 points to end at 686.0 and JX Holdings, Inc. (T:5020) was up 2.86% or 21.6 points to 776.2 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Chiyoda Corp. (T:6366), which fell 4.09% or 36.0 points to trade at 845.0 at the close. Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd. (T:2502) declined 3.93% or 238.0 points to end at 5815.0 and Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (T:5233) was down 3.14% or 157.6 points to 4857.5.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1817 to 1540 and 218 ended unchanged.
Shares in Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (T:7003) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.46% or 87.0 to 2036.0. Shares in Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc. (T:8354) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.00% or 20.0 to 686.0. Shares in JX Holdings, Inc. (T:5020) rose to all time highs; up 2.86% or 21.6 to 776.2.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 7.28% to 16.81 a new 1-month high.
Crude oil for February delivery was up 0.78% or 0.49 to $63.45 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March rose 0.48% or 0.33 to hit $69.15 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract fell 0.16% or 2.10 to trade at $1311.60 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was down 0.67% to 111.90, while EUR/JPY fell 0.68% to 133.56.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.07% at 92.17.