TOKYO: Japanese markets were last open on Thursday, meaning investors have missed out on a rather eventful week in global markets which have seen big slumps in the Chinese and Australian markets, oil rising to its highest point this year, a sliding US dollar and a sell-off in government bonds.
Japan’s Nikkei was down 1.1 per cent to 19315.8 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.7 per cent to 1574.8.
The biggest riser on the Nikkei is Toho, a motion picture maker and distributor, up as much as 9.9 per cent to Y3295. Analysts at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley raised their recommendation on the stock to “overweight” from “neutral”, with a 12-month price target of Y3570 per share.
Casio Computer, the electronics manufacturer, was the biggest decliner on the Nikkei, down as much as 6.7 per cent to Y2240 for its biggest fall in more than a year.
The yen was stronger for a fourth consecutive session, fetching Y119.35 in morning trade.
