Stock Markets February 24, 2026

Tokyo Stocks Close Higher as Real Estate, Banking and Textile Lead Gains

Nikkei 225 advances 0.83% as select industrial and electrical names post sharp moves; volatility eases and oil edges up

By Derek Hwang
Tokyo Stocks Close Higher as Real Estate, Banking and Textile Lead Gains

Japan's equity market closed higher on Tuesday, with the Nikkei 225 rising 0.83% as gains in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors supported broader advances. Several individual stocks recorded large percentage moves, with Furukawa Electric, Murata Manufacturing and Fujikura among the top gainers, while Trend Micro, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Fujitsu were notable decliners. Volatility in Nikkei options fell to a one-month low, while crude and Brent oil rose and gold futures pulled back. Currency markets registered modest moves, with USD/JPY and EUR/JPY edging higher.

Key Points

  • Nikkei 225 closed up 0.83% with Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors contributing to gains.
  • Significant individual moves: Furukawa Electric, Murata Manufacturing and Fujikura posted double-digit percentage gains; Trend Micro, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Fujitsu recorded notable declines.
  • Nikkei implied volatility dropped 7.95% to a one-month low at 26.76; crude and Brent oil advanced while April gold futures fell.

Japan's stock market finished the trading day in positive territory on Tuesday, with the Nikkei 225 ending the session up 0.83% in Tokyo. Broad strength was led by the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors, which contributed to the overall advance.

The session's largest winners on the Nikkei 225 included Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (TYO:5801), which surged 15.32% - a gain of 3,575.00 points - to close at 26,910.00. Murata Mfg Co (TYO:6981) climbed 10.07%, adding 370.00 points to finish at 4,045.00, and Fujikura Ltd. (TYO:5803) rose 10.00%, or 2,290.00 points, to end the day at 25,190.00.

Conversely, several names posted sizable declines. Trend Micro Inc. (TYO:4704) fell 13.75%, losing 782.00 points to close at 4,906.00. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506) slipped 9.47%, down 234.50 points to 2,241.00, while Fujitsu Ltd. (TYO:6702) dropped 8.73%, or 317.00 points, to finish at 3,313.00.

On the wider Tokyo Stock Exchange, advancing issues outnumbered decliners by 2,076 to 1,571, and 184 stocks finished unchanged.


Notable price milestones:

  • Furukawa Electric's shares rose to a five-year high, closing at 26,910.00 after a 15.32% jump.
  • Trend Micro's shares fell to a five-year low, closing at 4,906.00 after a 13.75% drop.
  • Murata Manufacturing's stock rose to a three-year high, ending at 4,045.00 following a 10.07% increase.
  • Fujikura's shares reached an all-time high, closing at 25,190.00 after a 10.00% gain.

Volatility, commodities and currencies

The Nikkei Volatility index, which tracks implied volatility in Nikkei 225 options, declined 7.95% to 26.76, marking a new one-month low for that measure.

In commodities, crude oil for April delivery increased 0.69% - up 0.46 - to $66.77 a barrel, while Brent oil for May delivery rose 0.68% or 0.48 to $71.59 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract fell 0.63% - down 32.66 - to trade at $5,192.94 a troy ounce.

Currency movements were modest: USD/JPY advanced 0.22% to 154.98, and EUR/JPY moved up 0.17% to 182.57. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.10% at 97.74.


Market context and takeaways

The trading day featured a mix of outsized single-stock moves and sector-led advances that pushed the Nikkei 225 higher by 0.83% at the close. The drop in implied volatility to a one-month low was a notable development, coinciding with gains in oil prices and a pullback in the April gold futures contract. Currency pairs involving the yen showed small increases against the dollar and euro.

Below are concise points summarizing the session:

  • The Nikkei 225 closed up 0.83%.
  • Top single-stock performers included Furukawa Electric, Murata Manufacturing and Fujikura; top decliners included Trend Micro, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Fujitsu.
  • Nikkei implied volatility fell to 26.76, a one-month low; oil prices moved higher while gold futures eased.

Risks

  • Large swings in individual stock prices - evidenced by double-digit gains and losses in multiple names - can increase stock-specific risk for investors in affected sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals and industrials.
  • Shifts in implied volatility, like the 7.95% decline in the Nikkei Volatility index to a one-month low, may alter option pricing and hedging costs for market participants.
  • Movement in commodities and currency markets - including rises in crude and Brent oil and changes in USD/JPY and EUR/JPY - could influence firm-level costs and earnings in energy-linked and export-oriented sectors.

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