Investing.com – Japan equities were higher at the close on Thursday, as gains in the Automobiles & Parts, Shipbuilding and Steel sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.94% to hit a new 6-month high.
The biggest gainers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Kobe Steel, Ltd. (T:5406), which rose 9.60% or 96.5 points to trade at 1102.0 at the close. Unitika, Ltd. (T:3103) added 6.98% or 6.0 points to end at 92.0 and JFE Holdings, Inc. (T:5411) was up 6.08% or 100.5 points to 1754.0 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Eisai Co., Ltd. (T:4523), which lost 7.15% or 505.0 points to trade at 6562.0 in late trade. Shinsei Bank, Ltd. (T:8303) declined 3.08% or 6.0 points to end at 188.5 and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (T:4519) shed 2.57% or 85.0 points to 3225.0.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 1894 to 1125 and 314 ended unchanged on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 0.41% to 19.46.
In commodities trading, Crude oil for January delivery was up 0.17% or 0.08 to $48.02 a barrel. Meanwhile, Brent oil for delivery in January unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to hit $48.95 a barrel, while the December Gold contract fell 0.21% or 2.45 to trade at $1185.35 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY was up 0.24% to 112.81, while EUR/JPY rose 0.16% to 118.89.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.15% at 101.88.