© Reuters. A screen showing stock price data for Tokyo in a photo from Reuters archive.
TOKYO (Reuters) – The Japanese index closed lower on Tuesday, as investors awaited the results of the Federal Reserve’s (US Central Bank) monetary policy meeting, and in light of corporate business results that showed mixed trends.
The Nikkei fell 0.39 percent, ending trading at 27,327.11 points, after starting the session on a high. The index achieved a monthly gain of 4.72 percent, the best monthly performance since October.
The broader Topix index fell 0.36 percent to 1,975.27 points.
Among the US economic data due this week are readings on consumer confidence, construction spending and unemployment, which are expected to influence whether the US central bank ends interest rate hikes in March.
Among the performance of individual Japanese stocks in Tuesday’s session, Canon shares lost 1.85 percent after the camera maker’s annual operating profit forecast disappointed investors.
But Oriental Land shares jumped 3.45 percent after the Tokyo Disney Resort operator (NYSE:) raised its annual net profit forecast.
Nissan Motor also rose 2.07 percent after the Japanese automaker and its French partner Renault (EPA:) announced a radical restructuring of their more than two-decade alliance, putting the two companies on equal footing.
The banking sector lost 2.28 percent, making it the worst performer among the sub-sectors, followed by the oil exploration companies sector, which fell by 1.83 percent.
(Prepared by Salma Najm for the Arabic Bulletin – Edited by Duaa Muhammad)
