Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 0.12%

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the , and sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the gained 0.12%.

The best performers of the session on the were Rakuten Inc (TYO:), which rose 5.16% or 24.60 points to trade at 501.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (TYO:) added 4.91% or 56.00 points to end at 1,197.00 and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:) was up 4.17% or 23.20 points to 579.10 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Oji Holdings Corp. (TYO:), which fell 3.94% or 22.20 points to trade at 541.40 at the close. J.Front Retailing Co., Ltd. (TYO:) declined 3.78% or 54.00 points to end at 1,373.50 and Japan Tobacco Inc (TYO:) was down 3.66% or 118.00 points to 3,104.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 1790 to 1779 and 262 ended unchanged.

Shares in Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (TYO:) rose to 3-years highs; rising 4.91% or 56.00 to 1,197.00. Shares in Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.17% or 23.20 to 579.10.

The , which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 0.95% to 20.19.

Crude oil for August delivery was down 0.37% or 0.26 to $69.30 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in September fell 0.39% or 0.29 to hit $73.95 a barrel, while the August Gold Futures contract fell 0.46% or 8.90 to trade at $1,913.30 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.06% to 144.54, while EUR/JPY rose 0.06% to 157.76.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 102.66.