The Yomiuri 333 Index closed at ¥52,922.04 on the 13th, up ¥146.29 from the previous weekend, marking its second consecutive trading-day gain. Meanwhile, the Nikkei Average fell ¥1,253.40 to ¥67,777.52, its fourth consecutive decline, with the two indices moving in different directions.
The Yomiuri 333 Index closed at ¥52,922.04, up ¥146.29 from the previous weekend. About 70% of its constituents, or 244 stocks, rose, indicating that buying was broadly dominant. Banks, securities firms and insurers attracted buying on expectations of further interest rate increases as inflation accelerates, while expectations for corporate earnings are also strengthening ahead of interim results.
The Nikkei Average fell ¥1,253.40 to ¥66,777.52 at the close, marking its fourth consecutive decline. Declines in AI-related and semiconductor stocks weighed on the market, resulting in a different move from the Yomiuri 333 Index. Although most TSE Prime stocks attracted buying, the Nikkei was negatively affected.
The top gainers among the Yomiuri 333 Index constituents were Macnica Holdings, up 5.78%, Pan Pacific International Holdings, up 4.01%, and Rohto Pharmaceutical, up 3.82%. The biggest decliners included Kioxia Holdings, down 13.28%, KOKUSAI ELECTRIC, down 9.53%, and SUMCO, down 8.64%.
The TOPIX was up 5.86 points at 4,110.67. While the Yomiuri 333 Index showed notable strength across the market, the Nikkei Average fell sharply, making it a day when Japanese and US interest-rate trends and the performance of different groups of stocks diverged.