Stock Markets February 18, 2026

Tokyo Stocks Advance; Nikkei 225 Climbs 1.00% as Real Estate, Banking and Textile Lead Gains

GS Yuasa hits multi-year highs while several industrial and advertising names slide; commodity and FX moves mixed

By Hana Yamamoto
Tokyo Stocks Advance; Nikkei 225 Climbs 1.00% as Real Estate, Banking and Textile Lead Gains

Tokyo's equity benchmark ended higher, propelled by strength in real estate, banking and textile names. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.00% at the close, with GS Yuasa leading gains and several industrial and advertising names among the session's heaviest decliners. Commodity and currency markets moved modestly alongside equities.

Key Points

  • Nikkei 225 closed up 1.00%, driven by gains in Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors.
  • Top Nikkei gainers included GS Yuasa (TYO:6674), TDK (TYO:6762) and Panasonic (TYO:6752); largest decliners included Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma (TYO:4506), Dentsu (TYO:4324) and Yaskawa (TYO:6506).
  • Commodities and FX were mixed - crude and Brent ticked up slightly, April gold futures rose, USD/JPY edged higher and EUR/JPY dipped; Nikkei Volatility fell to 29.82.

Tokyo equities finished the trading day with gains on Wednesday, as advances in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors helped lift the benchmark index.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 1.00%.

The session's top performers on the Nikkei 225 included GS Yuasa Corp. (TYO:6674), which jumped 9.02% or 401.00 points to end at 4,846.00. TDK Corp (TYO:6762) climbed 6.73% or 153.50 points to close at 2,433.50, and Panasonic Corp (TYO:6752) rose 5.38% or 126.50 points to finish at 2,478.00.

On the downside, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506) registered the largest loss, sliding 8.06% or 256.50 points to close at 2,927.50. Dentsu Inc. (TYO:4324) declined 4.26% or 127.50 points to end at 2,868.00, while Yaskawa Electric Corp. (TYO:6506) fell 3.01% or 160.00 points to close at 5,148.00.

Market breath favored advancers; rising issues outnumbered decliners on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2,463 to 1,123, and 240 stocks finished unchanged.

Shares of GS Yuasa Corp. (TYO:6674) moved to multi-year highs during the session, registering the noted 9.02% gain and closing at 4,846.00.

Volatility measures ticked lower: the Nikkei Volatility index, which tracks the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, declined 3.90% to 29.82.

Commodity markets were mixed. Crude oil for April delivery increased 0.13% or 0.08 to trade at $62.34 a barrel. Brent oil for April delivery rose 0.18% or 0.12 to $67.54 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract gained 0.89% or 43.54 to trade at $4,949.44 a troy ounce.

Currency moves were modest: USD/JPY was up 0.02% at 153.43, while EUR/JPY fell 0.04% to 181.70. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.05% to 97.11.


Context and takeaway - The market rally was broad enough to produce a clear positive close for the Nikkei 225, with notable single-stock moves on both the upside and downside. Commodity and currency shifts were present but modest, and implied volatility eased during the session.

Risks

  • Single-stock volatility - the session showed large individual swings, such as GS Yuasa's 9.02% gain and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma's 8.06% fall, highlighting company-specific risk in equities (impacts industrials, pharmaceuticals, and electronics sectors).
  • Commodity and currency moves - modest shifts in crude, Brent, gold and FX rates can influence sector performance and input costs, affecting energy-sensitive and import-dependent industries (impacts energy, manufacturing, and consumer sectors).
  • Market sentiment volatility - while implied volatility declined to 29.82, changes in the Nikkei Volatility reading indicate potential for shifting market risk perceptions (impacts overall equity market stability).

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