Easy Trading Tips – Japan’s stock market ended Monday on a positive note, with key indices seeing gains driven by strong performances in the Power, Rubber, and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors. The Nikkei 225 closed up 0.34%, reflecting investor optimism.
Top Performers on the Nikkei 225
Leading the rally was Lasertec Corp (TYO:6920), which surged 9.98%, adding 1,380 points to close at 15,210.00. Another major gainer was SMC Corp (TYO:6273), which climbed 6.82%, increasing 3,750 points to finish at 58,750.00. Meanwhile, Oriental Land Co Ltd (TYO:4661) saw a 5.54% rise, gaining 172 points to settle at 3,277.00.
Biggest Decliners of the Session
On the downside, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (TYO:7011) experienced the largest drop, falling 5.79% or 144 points, closing at 2,345.00. Similarly, IHI Corp. (TYO:7013) lost 5.17%, dropping 560 points to end at 10,275.00. Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO:4519) also saw a decline, down 3.68%, shedding 256 points to close at 6,707.00.
Market Breadth and Volatility
The Tokyo Stock Exchange saw 1,824 advancing stocks, while 1,764 declined, and 282 remained unchanged.
The Nikkei Volatility Index climbed 11.79% to 28.16, marking a three-month high, indicating increased market uncertainty.
Commodities and Forex Overview
In commodities trading, Crude Oil (April delivery) edged down 0.12% to $66.96 per barrel, while Brent Oil (May delivery) slipped 0.07% to $70.31 per barrel. Meanwhile, Gold Futures (April contract) gained 0.22%, rising $6.49 to trade at $2,920.59 per troy ounce.
In the currency markets, the USD/JPY pair declined 0.18% to 147.76, while EUR/JPY dropped 0.11% to 160.18. The US Dollar Index Futures dipped 0.02% to 103.79.
Market Outlook
The positive momentum in Japan’s stock market indicates strong investor confidence, particularly in the industrial and chemical sectors. However, increased volatility suggests a cautious approach moving forward. Investors will be closely monitoring economic indicators and global commodity trends for further market direction.