Xinhua
20 Nov 2020, 14:14 GMT+10
TOKYO, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended mixed Friday as fears grew over the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the world and the economic fallout from the pandemic.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 106.97 points, or 0.42 percent, from Thursday to close at 25,527.37.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 0.98 point, or 0.06 percent, to finish at 1,727.39.
Throughout the day, the U.S. dollar fluctuated narrowly in the upper 103 yen zone as selling of the U.S. currency on growing COVID-19 worries was offset by demand from importers in Japan for settlement needs ahead of a three-day holiday.
The Nikkei declined for a third straight trading day, with sentiment hit by a fresh record number of daily coronavirus cases in the country on Thursday. In the capital of Tokyo, the epicenter of the country's outbreak, 522 more coronavirus cases were reported on Friday, topping the 500 mark for the second straight day.
By the close of play, insurance, air transportation and land transportation issues comprised those that declined the most.
On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,296 to 788, while 93 finished unchanged.
Among the decliners, Japan Airlines dropped 44 yen, or 2.2 percent, to 1,916 yen and ANA Holdings fell 32.00 yen, or 1.2 percent, to 2,532.00 yen.
East Japan Railway slid 54 yen, or 0.8 percent, to 6,505 yen and Keio dropped 100 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 7,730 yen.
"Weakening airline and railway issues reflect investors' worries about the virus spread," Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management, was quoted by local media.
According to Ichikawa, although the Nikkei hit a 29-year high earlier this week on progress in developing coronavirus vaccines, if new cases continue to surge, the economy could be hit again before a vaccine becomes widely available.
On the main section on Friday, 1,088.96 million shares changed hands, decreasing from Thursday's 1,368.24 million shares.
Get a daily dose of Breaking Property News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Breaking Property News.
More InformationDUBAI, U.A.E.: Saudi Aramco is exploring asset sales as part of a broader push to unlock capital, with gas-fired power plants among...
MILAN, Italy: Italian regulators have flagged four non-EU countries—including Russia—as carrying systemic financial risk for domestic...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: With just weeks to spare before a potential government default, U.S. lawmakers passed a sweeping tax and spending...
PARIS, France: Fast-fashion giant Shein has been fined 40 million euros by France's antitrust authority over deceptive discount practices...
PALO ALTO/TEL AVIV: The battle for top AI talent has claimed another high-profile casualty—this time at Safe Superintelligence (SSI),...
FRANKLIN, Tennessee: Hundreds of thousands of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are being recalled across the United States due to a potential...
NAIROBI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese contractors are helping advance Kenya's construction sector by transferring technologies, the industry...
BERLIN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Germany's housing market showed strong signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2025, with residential...
Riverside sheriffs office disses juries and county taxpayers
Olson- Erin Murphy wades through grief with lessons learned from Melissa Hortman
Counterpoint- What No Kings protests are actually about