Dec 25 2024: Japan’s stock market closed lower on Wednesday, with the Nikkei 225 index falling 0.32% as losses in the Communication, Warehousing, and Precision Instruments sectors weighed on the index.
Top Performers
The session’s strongest performers on the Nikkei 225 included Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201), which surged 8.66% or 41.30 points to close at 518.30. Toyota Motor Corp. (TYO:7203) followed with a 4.57% gain or 129.50 points, ending at 2,964.50. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (TYO:7012) also performed well, climbing 4.28% or 291.00 points to reach 7,089.00—a five-year high.
Worst Performers
Among the weakest stocks were Rakuten Inc. (TYO:4755), which dropped 2.50% or 22.30 points to finish at 869.50. Konami Corp. (TYO:9766) declined by 2.28% or 340.00 points to 14,575.00, and Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (TYO:6504) fell 2.17% or 185.00 points to 8,326.00.
Market Breadth
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, advancing stocks outpaced declining ones, with 1,835 stocks rising compared to 1,811 that fell, while 252 remained unchanged.
Volatility and Commodities
The Nikkei Volatility Index, which gauges the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, declined by 5.78%, settling at 21.84.
In the commodities market, crude oil for February delivery edged down 0.09% or $0.06 to $70.10 per barrel. Brent oil for March delivery gained 1.24% or $0.90, reaching $73.22 per barrel. Meanwhile, February Gold Futures remained flat at $2,633.50 per troy ounce.
Currency and Dollar Index
In the currency market, USD/JPY rose 0.17% to 157.45, while EUR/JPY climbed 0.29% to 163.90. The US Dollar Index Futures advanced 0.18%, closing at 108.00.
