“Feb 29 2024: Japanese stocks saw a slight uptick at the close of trading on Thursday, buoyed by gains in the Paper & Pulp, Power, and Shipbuilding sectors.
The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo eked out a modest 0.03% increase.
Leading the way among Nikkei 225 performers was Aozora Bank, Ltd. (TYO:8304), surging 9.46% or 237.50 points to reach 2,748.50 by the session’s end. Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (TYO:3382) also posted notable gains, rising by 6.19% or 130.00 points to close at 2,230.00, while Rakuten Inc (TYO:4755) saw a 3.98% or 31.40 points increase, settling at 820.00.
On the flip side, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) experienced a 4.66% or 39.60 points decline, finishing at 810.00. Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (TYO:9531) also saw a drop of 4.32% or 148.00 points, ending at 3,279.00, while DeNA Co Ltd (TYO:2432) slipped by 4.06% or 62.00 points to close at 1,465.00.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with 2217 falling, 1476 rising, and 189 remaining unchanged.
Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (TYO:3382) shares hit all-time highs, climbing by 6.19% or 130.00 to 2,230.00. Similarly, Rakuten Inc (TYO:4755) shares reached 52-week highs, gaining 3.98% or 31.40 to 820.00.
The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, decreased by 5.78% to 19.22.
In commodities trading, crude oil for April delivery edged up by 0.06% or 0.05 to $78.59 a barrel. Brent oil for delivery in May also saw a slight increase of 0.05% or 0.04, reaching $82.19 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose by 0.10% or 1.95 to trade at $2,044.65 a troy ounce.
USD/JPY declined by 0.58% to 149.80, while EUR/JPY fell by 0.62% to 162.31.
The US Dollar Index Futures dropped by 0.09% to 103.81.”
