After the closing bell on Wednesday, the stock market in Japan experienced a downturn, primarily driven by losses in sectors like Steel, Mining, and Marine Transport. The Nikkei 225, a key index reflecting the performance of top companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, dipped by 0.25%, reflecting the overall negative sentiment among investors.
Among the standout performers on the Nikkei 225 were DeNA Co Ltd (TYO:2432), which witnessed a remarkable surge of 24.45% or 300.00 points, closing at 1,527.00 at the end of the trading session. Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803) also stood out with a strong performance, rising by 7.17% or 125.50 points to reach a closing price of 1,876.50. Additionally, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) gained 7.16% or 56.80 points, ending the day at 849.60.
Conversely, the session saw some notable decliners, including Omron Corp (TYO:6645), which saw a decline of 4.41% or 260.00 points, closing at 5,640.00. Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735) also experienced a downturn, falling by 3.10% or 605.00 points to end at 18,900.00. Similarly, J.Front Retailing Co., Ltd. (TYO:3086) dropped 2.57% or 39.00 points, settling at 1,478.50.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange saw more rising stocks than declining ones, with 2081 stocks on the rise compared to 1564 declining ones, while 237 stocks remained unchanged.
Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803) reached all-time highs during the session, marking a significant milestone for the company. Its shares climbed by 7.17% or 125.50 points to reach a closing price of 1,876.50.
Market volatility, as measured by the Nikkei Volatility index, rose by 9.46% to 21.41, indicating increased uncertainty among investors.
In commodities trading, both crude oil benchmarks saw declines. Crude oil for April delivery decreased by 0.48% or 0.38 to reach $78.49 a barrel, while Brent oil for delivery in May fell by 0.46% or 0.38, hitting $82.28 a barrel. Additionally, the April Gold Futures contract experienced a slight decline of 0.19% or 3.95, trading at $2,040.15 a troy ounce.
Currency markets saw minor fluctuations, with USD/JPY increasing by 0.07% to 150.60, while EUR/JPY decreased by 0.10% to 163.06.