Tokyo’s markets were higher Thursday.

The Nikkei 225 gained 0.89 percent to 17,106.09 and the Topix index was 1.09 percent higher to 1,617.75, while the Mothers market jumped 7.22 percent to 883.84.

Banks and brokers were higher after US bank JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) reported quarterly profits that were better than had been expected.

Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) added 2.3 percent to ¥1,040, while Sumitomo Mitusi (TYO: 8316) gained 3 percent to ¥848,000 and Mizuho Financial Group (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was 3.8 percent higher to ¥630,000.

Broker Nomura (TYO: 8604; NYSE: NMR; SGX: N33) was up 1.5 percent to ¥1,984 and credit card issuer Credit Saison (TYO: 8253) added 2.5 percent to ¥3,230.

Exporters did better after the yen weakened in relation to the US dollar.

Camera maker Canon (TYO: 7751; NYSE: CAJ) gained 2.7 percent to ¥6,100.

Retailers saw declines after the International Monetary Fund cut its prediction of Japanese economic growth from 2.6 percent to 2 percent for this year and from 2 percent to 1.7 percent for next year.

Departments store operator J. Front Retailing (TYO: 3086) dropped 2 percent to ¥1,026 while Seven & I (TYO: 3382) fell 2.2 percent to ¥2,870.

The real estate sector took a hit in Tokyo Wednesday, with the exchange’s properties sector index dropping 4.2 percent on the session on overvaluation concerns.

The declines helped send the Nikkei 225 down 1.6 percent to 16,158.45, while the Topix index dropped 1.71 percent to 1,569.47.

The Mothers market fell 2.23 percent to 717.07.

Among properties groups, Mitsubishi Estate (TYO: 8802) was 3.8 percent lower to ¥2,895 and Mitsui Fudosan (TYO: 8801; NAS: MDSFF) dropped 4.1 percent to ¥2,780.

In a related sector, Daiwa House Industry (TYO: 1925) was 3.2 percent lower to ¥1,471 after its chairman said that it wants to cut costs locally, where it fears land prices could collapse, and expand in China.

Banks were also lower.

Sumitomo Mitusi Financial Group (TYO: 8316) fell 1.5 percent to ¥872,000, its lowest share price in two years, while Mizuho Financial Group (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) dropped 2.4 percent to ¥702,000.

There were gainers on the session.

Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was 2.3 percent higher to ¥5,740 on the news that it is planning an IPO of its financial unit in Tokyo next month.

Meanwhile, new department store chain J-Front Retailing (TYO: 3086), created by the merger of Daimaru (TYO: 8234) and Matsuzakaya (TYO: 8235), added 6 percent to ¥975 when Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) initiated coverage with a “buy” recommendation and a target share price of ¥1,200.