Japan stocks lower at close of trade; Nikkei 225 down 0.08%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Paper & Pulp, Gas & Water and Transport sectors led shares lower.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 lost 0.08%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531), which rose 12.96% or 495.00 points to trade at 4,315.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Sompo Holdings Inc (TYO:8630) added 11.42% or 407.00 points to end at 3,971.00 and Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (TYO:3382) was up 6.52% or 159.00 points to 2,597.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. (TYO:8766), which fell 6.99% or 423.00 points to trade at 5,631.00 at the close. MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings (TYO:8725) declined 4.92% or 182.00 points to end at 3,518.00 and Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (TYO:9009) was down 3.66% or 148.00 points to 3,899.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2019 to 1560 and 257 ended unchanged.

Shares in Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531) rose to 5-year highs; rising 12.96% or 495.00 to 4,315.00. Shares in Sompo Holdings Inc (TYO:8630) rose to 52-week highs; rising 11.42% or 407.00 to 3,971.00. Shares in Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (TYO:3382) rose to all time highs; up 6.52% or 159.00 to 2,597.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 12.49% to 26.12.

Crude oil for January delivery was up 0.22% or 0.15 to $69.39 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in January rose 0.14% or 0.10 to hit $73.41 a barrel, while the December Gold Futures contract rose 0.01% or 0.30 to trade at $2,631.30 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.49% to 155.41, while EUR/JPY rose 0.44% to 164.57.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.07% at 106.22.