Tokyo’s markets were mixed on Friday’s session.

The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.16 percent to 17,065.04, but the Topix index added 0.08 percent to 1,656.91 while the Mothers market gained 3.98 percent to 848.78.

Decliners on the session included Casio Computer (TYO: 6952), which makes a diverse range of devices including watches and mobile phones.

Casio dropped 19 percent, its daily maximum, to ¥1,272 after it reported that net income in its fiscal first half dropped by 58 percent, spurring broker downgrades.

Elsewhere in the electronics sector, Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) fell 3.3 percent to ¥2,080.

Traders and the oil sector gained on higher oil prices.

Trader Mitsui & Co. (TYO: 8031) was 0.7 percent higher to ¥2,800.

In the oil sector, Inpex (TYO: 1605) gained 2.5 percent to ¥1.21 million, while AOC Holdings (TYO: 5017) added 2.6 percent to ¥1,769.

Retailer Aeon (TYO: 8267) was 3 percent higher to ¥1,672 on a report that its net income in its fiscal first half added 2.8 percent and as it announced a higher dividend for the full year and a stock buyback worth up to ¥70 billion.

There were also gains in the consumer finance sector.

Promise (TYO: 8574) was up 4.6 percent to ¥2,960 on reports that it will post a higher net income in the current fiscal year than had been estimated.

Acom (TYO: 8572; OTC: ACMU) added 5.2 percent to ¥2,840, while Aiful (TYO: 8515) jumped 17 percent to ¥2,115.

Tokyo’s markets were higher as brokerages gained on the news that Citigroup (NYSE: C) has said it will buy out minority shareholders in Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06).

Citigroup already owns 68 percent of the brokerage.

The Nikkei 225 added 0.9 percent to 17,199.89, while the Topix index gained 1.48 percent to 1,664.01 and the Mothers market jumped 5.03 percent to 794.35.

The announcement from Citigroup sent Nikko’s shares up by the daily limit of 13.7 percent to ¥1,662.

Elsewhere in the sector, Nomura Holdings (TYO: 8604; NYSE: NMR; SGX: N33) was 4 percent higher to ¥3,090 while Daiwa Securities (TYO: 8601) gained 5.8 percent to ¥1,178.

Banks were also higher.

Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) was up 4 percent to ¥1,158 and Mizuho added 4.5 percent to ¥691,000.

Elsewhere, steel maker JFE (TYO: 5411) was 3.1 percent higher to ¥8,370 on the announcement that it will raise prices on steel plate by 15 percent as well as on the news that it will partner with Toshiba (TYO: 6502; LSE: TOS) to design and manufacture small and medium-sized steam turbines for power plants.

Toshiba gained 2.4 percent to ¥1,091 on the news.

In the electronics sector, Nintendo (TYO: 7974; NAS: NTDOY; FWB: NTO) added 2.7 percent to ¥1,700 but Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6752) dropped 2.5 percent to ¥2,125 after production at one of its battery factories was shut down due to a fire.

The Tokyo equities markets were higher Friday after the yen weakened, sending export-focused stocks higher.

The Nikkei 225 was 1.94 percent higher to 16,127.42.

The Topix index gained 1.43 percent to 1,544.71, while the Mother’s market was up 1.34 percent to 637.25.

In the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was up 2.1 percent to ¥5,420.

Digital camera maker Canon (TYO: 7751; NYSE: CAJ) added 2.7 percent to ¥5,990, while Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) gained 3.9 percent to ¥2,045 on an upgrade from “neutral” to “buy” from Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS).

Game console manufacturer Nintendo (TYO: 7974; NAS: NTDOY; FWB: NTO) jumped 5.6 percent to ¥55,100 on sales of its Wii console, which sold many more units than Sony’s PlayStation 3 in August in the United States.

Among carmakers, Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) was up 2.4 percent to ¥6,530 on reports that it will build its first new factory in Japan in nearly 20 years.

Banks gained on a JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) recommendation to buy.

Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) was 3.9 percent higher to ¥821,000, while Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) added 4 percent to ¥1.04 million and Mizuho (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was up 4.5 percent to ¥657,000.

Brewer Sapporo (TYO: 2501) gained 7.9 percent to ¥742 on a possible bid from Steel Partners, a US hedge fund.

After posting gains early in the session, the Nikkei 225 ended the session in Tokyo at 0.09 percent lower on Tuesday to 16,287.49 and the Topix index fell 0.2 percent to 1,584.6.

The Mothers market, however, managed a gain of 0.04 percent to 731.34.

Shippers were higher after Standard & Poor’s raised the credit rating of several companies to BBB.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (TYO: 9107) added 1.2 percent to ¥1,485, while Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) was up 1.4 percent to ¥1,123 and Mitsui OSK (TYO: 9104) gained 1.5 percent to ¥1,652.

Nippon Sheet Glass (TYO: 5202) was 4.8 percent higher to ¥673 after Daiwa Securities (TYO: 8601) raised its recommendation to “buy”, while robot maker Yaskawa Electric Corp (TYO: 6506) gained 4.1 percent to ¥1,346 as Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675) began coverage with a “buy” rating.

Banks were lower on the session, with Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) down 1.8 percent to ¥1.11 million and Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) was 1.9 percent lower to ¥902,000.

In the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) dropped 0.6 percent to ¥5,380 and Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) fell 1.5 percent to ¥2,000.

Tokyo’s markets were lower Friday.

The Nikkei 225 fell 0.41 percent to 16,248.97, while the Topix index was down 0.37 percent to 1,585.85 and the Mothers market declined 1.79 percent to 726.77.

The electronics sector was mixed.

Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) fell 0.5 percent to ¥2,015, although Toshiba (TYO: 6502; LSE: TOS) added 1.4 percent to ¥1,068.

Optical glass manufacturer Hoya (TYO: 7741; OTC: HOCP) dropped 3.4 percent to ¥3,930.

Honda Motor (TYO: 7267; NYSE: HMC) was 0.5 percent lower to ¥3,700.

Elsewhere in the auto sector, however, Hino Motors (TYO: 7205) and Isuzu Motors (TYO: 7202) were both higher on rumors that were denied by both parties that they would join to develop lower-emission diesel engines.

Isuzu added 2 percent to ¥565, while Hino was 3.3 percent higher to ¥782.

Shippers were higher on the session.

Mitsui OSK Lines (TYO: 9104) was up 1.1 percent to ¥1,619, while Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (TYO: 9107) gained 1.2 percent to ¥1,619 and Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) advanced 1.8 percent to ¥1,116.

Camera makers were also higher, with Nikon (TYO: 7731) adding 2.7 percent to ¥3,370 and Canon (TYO: 7751; NYSE: CAJ) gaining 3.7 percent to ¥6,490.

Tokyo’s markets were higher on the session as the Nikkei 225 added 1.07 percent to 15,901.34 and the Topix index was up 1.73 percent to 1,549.88 after the Bank of Japan put another ¥800 billion into the system.

The Mothers index gained 1.23 percent to 703.72.

The steel sector, seen as a safer place for investors to put their money, was up on the day.

JFE (TYO: 5411) was 3.4 percent higher to ¥7,300, while Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) gained 4.3 percent to ¥777.

Shippers were also higher, with Kawasaki Kisen (TYO: 9107) up 2.6 percent to ¥1,394 and Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) adding 3 percent to ¥1,065.

In the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) added 1.3 percent to ¥5,280, but Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) was down 1.7 percent to ¥1,918.

In the semiconductors sector, chip-testing equipment maker Advantest (TYO: 6857; NYSE: ATE) was down 1.8 percent to ¥4,260 after it said that profits were 13 percent lower in its fiscal first quarter.

In Tokyo on Wednesday both the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index closed at their lowest level this year.

The Nikkei was down 2.2 percent to 16,475.61, while the Topix dropped 2.6 percent to 1,594.15.

The Mothers market fell 2.66 percent to 751.69.

While Japan’s finance minister said that the problems in the US subprime market “seems to have past its peak”, banks were still lower after Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) and Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) reported losses involving mortgage-related securities.

Mitsubishi UFJ was 5.3 percent lower to ¥1.08 million after it said its unrealized subprime-related losses amounted to ¥5 billion, while Sumitomo Mitsui was down 5.9 percent to ¥920,000 after reporting that it had lost “billions” of yen in the quarter ending 30 June after it sold ¥350 billion in mortgage-backed securities.

In addition, Orix Corp (TYO: 8591), Japan’s largest non-bank lender dropped 6.6 percent to ¥23,340 even though the company’s president said that it is not exposed to the US subprime market.

Exporters were hurt by a strengthening yen.

Honda Motor (TYO: 7267; NYSE: HMC) was down 2,7 percent to ¥3,920, while Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) fell 3 percent to ¥6,850.

Construction equipment manufacturer Komatsu (TYO: 6301) dropped 3.9 percent to ¥3,410.

In the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was 2.7 percent lower to ¥5,520, while Matsushita (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) was down 5 percent to ¥2,015 after mobile phone maker Nokia (OMX: NOK1V; NYSE: NOK; FWB: NOA3) said it would replace Matsushita-manufactured batteries that ran a risk of overheating during recharging.

In the retail sector, Seiyu Ltd (TYO: 8268) - Wal-Mart’s Japanese unit - was 10 percent lower to ¥114 after saying it will post its fifth annual loss in a row, likely in the neighborhood of ¥5.9 billion.

Tokyo Electric Power (TYO; 9501) fell 2.9 percent to ¥3,030 even though the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that an inspection showed that damages from last month’s earthquake looked to be less than had been anticipated.

Major equities markets in Tokyo were lower on Wednesday.

The Nikkei 225 fell 0.8 percent to 17,858.42, while the Topix index dropped 0.68 percent to 1,754.03.

On the other hand, the Mothers market of small and mid-caps added 0.66 percent to close at 857.81.

The retail sector was mixed.

In mergers rumors, department stores Mitsukoshi (TYO: 2779) and Isetan (TYO: 8238) were said to be talking about making a capital alliance and could look to merge later on.

Mitsukoshi added 7.51 percent to ¥587 and Isetan closed even at ¥1,901, while elsewhere in the retail sector, Seven & I (TYO: 3382) fell 0.29 percent to ¥3,490.

Exporters were hurt by a stronger yen.

In the automobile manufacturing sector Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) was 1.33 percent lower to ¥7,410, while Honda Motor (TYO: 7267; NYSE: HMC) dropped 1.78 percent to ¥4,420.

In the electronics sector Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was down 0.32 percent to ¥6,280 and Matushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) fell 3.59 percent to ¥2,285.

In the oil sector, Nippon Oil (TYO: 5001) dropped 3.86 percent to ¥1,121 as the price of crude oil continued to decline.

The Tokyo equities markets saw gains on Friday.

The Nikkei 225 gained 0.2 percent to 18,157.93 and the Topix closed at 1,776.17, 0.5 percent higher on the session.

In the electronics sector, Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC), which makes the Panasonic brand of consumer electronics, added 1.5 percent to ¥2,385.

The steel sector was also higher, with Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) adding 3.9 percent to ¥955 after it was reported that Japan’s output of crude steel was at a 33-year high in the first half of 2007.

On the other hand, the telecommunications sector was lower after KDDI (TYO: 9433) and Softbank (TYO: 9984) both decided to cut fees to mobile phone users.

NTT DoCoMo (TYO: 9437) fell 1.1 percent to ¥181,000, while Softbank dropped 2.7 percent to ¥2,665 and KDDI was 6.1 percent lower to ¥853,000.

The consumer finance sector also saw losses.

Sanyo Shinpan (TYO: 8573) was 2.2 percent lower to ¥3,520, while Takefuji fell 5.4 percent to ¥3,820 and Promise was down 6.6 percent to ¥3,540.

The Tokyo markets also saw significant gains on Friday as the Nikkei 226 added 1.42 percent to 18,238.95 and the Topix index gained 1.14 percent to 1,783.2.

The markets were aided by a recovery in the semiconductors sector that was spurred by comments from Korean chipmaker Samsung (KS: 005930) that chip prices will go up in the third quarter of the year.

It was also helped by a report from silicon wafer maker Shin-Etsu (TYO: 4063) that profits in its fiscal first quarter were up by 28 percent on strong sales.

Shin-Etsu added 3.9 percent to ¥9,500.

Tokyo Electron (TYO: 8035) was 3.2 percent higher to ¥9,090, while chip-testing equipment maker Advantest (TYO: 6857; NYSE: ATE) added 2.1 percent to ¥5,410 and Dainippon Screen Manufacturing, which makes equipment related to semiconductor manufacture, gained 2.3 percent to ¥943.

In the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was 0.9 percent higher to ¥6,410, while Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6572; NYSE: MC) added 1.3 percent to ¥2,360 and Nintendo (TYO: 7974; NAS: NTDOY; FWB: NTO) gained 1.5 percent to ¥50,400 on comments from the company’s president that its Wii games console could sell more than Sony’s PlayStation 2.

Decliners on the day included Fast Retailing (TYO: 9983). The clothing retailer was 2.7 percent lower to ¥8,000 on a third decline in its full-year guidance.

Japanese markets will be closed Monday for the Maritime Day Holiday.