After the market closed on Wednesday, Japanese equities rose as gains in the machinery, electrical and mechanical, and precision instruments sectors drove up stock prices.
The Nikkei 225 rose 0.26 percent in Tokyo at the end.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (TYO:2802), which increased 9.31% or 374.00 points to finish trading at 4,392.00, was the top Nikkei 225 performer of the session. Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. (TYO: 6305) was up 4.43% or 135.00 points to 3,180.00 in late trade, and Pacific Metals Co., Ltd. (TYO: 5541) was up 5.40% or 105.00 points to finish at 2,050.00.
Casio Computer Co., Ltd. (TYO: 6952), which lost 2.70% or 36.00 points to end at 1,299.00, was the worst performer of the session. Kyowa Kirin Co Ltd (TYO:4151) was down 2.26% or 66.00 points to 2,849.00, while CyberAgent Inc (TYO:4751) fell 2.32% or 27.00 points to close at 1,139.00.
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, advancing companies outnumbered declining ones by 2051 to 1510, and 264 stocks finished the day unchanged.
The Nikkei Volatility, a gauge of implied volatility for Nikkei 225 options, fell 5.20% to 16.59.
To reach $77.61 per barrel, crude oil for April delivery increased by 0.73%, or 0.56. Brent crude for May delivery increased by 0.72% or 0.60 to $84.05 a barrel in other commodity trading, while the April gold futures contract increased by 0.14% or 2.55 to trade at $1,839.25 for a troy ounce.
While EUR/JPY increased 0.50% to 144.76, USD/JPY increased 0.13% to 136.38.
At 104.66, the US Dollar Index Futures were down 0.16%.
