Tokyo’s markets made gains Friday.

The Nikkei 225 was up 1.36 percent to 16,505.63, while the Topix index added 1.67 percent to 1,573.97 and the Mothers market jumped 4.73 percent to 930.77.

With oil prices in record territory above $90 per barrel, traders saw gains.

Mitsubishi Corp. (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was 4 percent higher to ¥3,640 while Mitsui & Co. (TYO: 8031) gained 5.6 percent to ¥3,030.

In the oil sector, Inpex (TYO: 1605) added 3.3 percent to ¥1.27 million.

Automobile manufacturers were higher after Honda (TYO: 7267; NYSE: HMC) reported that profits were up by 63 percent in its fiscal second quarter and raised its full-year income outlook by 8 percent.

Honda’s shares added 8.9 percent to ¥4,040 on the news, while Nissan Motor (TYO: 7201) was up 3.2 percent to ¥1,124 and Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) was 4.9 percent higher to ¥6,240.

Quarterly results also helped Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE), which added 8.8 percent to ¥5,560 after fiscal second quarter profits were higher than expected and Nomura raised its recommendation on the electronics and entertainment conglomerate from “neutral” to “strong buy”.

On the other hand, office equipment manufacturer Ricoh (TYO: 7752) fell 4.2 percent to ¥2,280 after half-year income results were poorer than expected and Credit Suisse dropped its recommendation to “neutral”.

Tokyo’s markets were mixed on Wednesday.

The Nikkei 225 was 0.1 percent higher to 17,177.89, but the Topix index dropped 0.11 percent to 1,658.18 and the Mothers market was down 1.75 percent to 857.19.

Retailers saw gains on news of a cooperation agreement between Aeon (TYO: 8267) and Japan Airlines (TYO: 9205) in which the retailer will link its electronic money card to the airline’s frequent flyer miles program.

Aeon added 6.2 percent to ¥1,784, while Japan Airlines gained 4.3 percent to ¥265.

Elsewhere in the retail sector, department store operator Takashimaya (TYO: 8233) was 3.2 percent higher to ¥1,329 on better recommendations from Mizuho Securities and Nikko Citigroup.

Mizuho raised its recommendation from “reduce” to “hold”, while Nikko upped their rating on the retailer from “hold” to “buy”.

Elsewhere in the sector, Seven & I (TYO: 3382) was up 3.7 percent to ¥3,090 while supermarket chain Daiei (TYO: 8263; NAS: DAIEY) added 6.3 percent to ¥940.

Traders and commodities-related groups were higher after oil and metals prices rose overnight.

In the oil sector, Inpex (TYO: 1605) was up 3.4 percent to ¥1.21 million, while Nippon Mining (TYO: 5016) gained 2.1 percent to ¥1,177.

Among traders, Mitsubishi and Mitsui & Co. each added 1.4 percent, to ¥3,520 and ¥2,810 respectively.

Banks were lower, however. Mizuho (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was down 1.1 percent to ¥703,000 while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (TYO: 8316) dropped 2.5 percent to ¥948,000.

Tokyo’s markets were lower Wednesday after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that he will resign.

He likely to be replaced, according to some political analysts, by former foreign minister and current Liberal Democratic Party secretary-general Taro Aso, although some in the Japanese media have speculated on the return of Mr. Abe’s predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi.

The news sent the Nikkei 225 down 0.5 percent to 15,797.60.

The Topix index dropped 0.27 percent to 1,528.27 while the Mothers market was 1.19 percent lower to 648.46.

The banking sector was instrumental in the session’s declines.

Mizuho (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was down 2.4 percent to ¥648,000 while Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) fell 1.9 percent to ¥1.02 million.

Gains in commodities prices helped trader Mitsubishi Corp (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) gain 2.5 percent to ¥3,230.

In the oil sector, Inpex Holdings (TYO: 1605) added 5.6 percent to ¥1.13 million after West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed at a new high of $78.23 per barrel in New York on Tuesday.

In Tokyo the Nikkei 225 was up 0.88 percent Thursday to 16,153.82, while the Topix index added 0.69 percent to 1,568.23 and the Mothers market gained a bare 0.03 percent to 716.29.

Volume was low, with only around 1.52 billion shares trading hands during the session.

Traders were up on higher oil prices.

Mitsubishi Corp (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was up 3.7 percent to ¥3,080, while Mitsui & Company (TYO: 8031) was 1.4 percent higher to ¥2,260 on reports that it has won a contract in conjunction with a South Korean engineering and construction group to build a diesel processing plant in Egypt.

Also higher on higher oil prices was refiner Nippon Oil (TYO: 5001), which added 4.3 percent to ¥937.

Electronics-related companies were also higher after the yen weakened.

Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) gained 1.2 percent to ¥5,290, while rival game-console maker Nintendo (TYO: 7974; NAS: NTDOY; FWB: NTO) was up 2.5 percent to ¥53,300 in Osaka.

Retailers were down on the session after new data revealed that retail sales were down by 2.2 percent in July against an expected drop of only 0.8 percent.

Mitsukoshi Ltd (TYO: 2779) was 2.4 percent lower to ¥521, while clothing retailer Fast Retailing fell 3.1 percent to ¥6,670.

In Tokyo on Thursday the markets were higher after the Bank of Japan voted 8 to 1 to hold interest rates at 0.5 percent, as expected.

The Nikkei 225 gained 2.6 percent to 16,316.32, while the Taiex added 3 percent to 1,591.81 and the Mothers market jumped 5.18 percent to 740.02.

Exporters were higher as the yen weakened.

Among carmakers, Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) was up 2 percent to ¥6,680 and Honda Motor (TYO: 7267; NYSE: HMC) gained 2.5 percent to ¥6,260.

Tire maker Bridgestone (TYO: 5108) added 5.6 percent to ¥2,445 after it said it will boost production in Indonesian and Indian factories to satisfy demand.

Among trading companies, Mitsubishi Corp (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was up 7.2 percent to ¥3,110 on the announcement of a share buy-back worth ¥150.1 billion, while Mitsui & Co (TYO: 8031) gained 6.8 percent to ¥2,365.

The banking sector added 4.6 percent as a whole, with Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) up 4.6 percent to ¥1,130,000 as Mizuho Financial (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) added 5.2 percent to ¥715,000 and Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) gained 5.5 percent to ¥933,000.

Tokyo’s equities markets were higher on Tuesday.

The Nikkei 225 added 0.3 percent to 16,844.61, while the Topix index was up 0.3 percent to 1,637.46.

The Mothers market gained 0.62 percent to 722.26.

General traders, significantly lower in recent sessions, did better on the day.

Mitsubishi Corp (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was 4.2 percent higher to ¥3,090, while Itochu (TYO: 8001) added 6.9 percent to ¥1,323.

Itochu had dropped 18 percent since the beginning of the month.

Home appliance retailers did very well as continued temperatures of over 35 degrees centigrade (95 degrees Fahrenheit) boosted sales of air conditioners.

Kojima (TYO: 7513) was 5.8 percent higher to ¥998, while Edion (TYO: 2730) jumped 9.9 percent to ¥1,210.

Shippers did better on the possibility that rates for shipping could go up as carriers worked near capacity.

Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) was up 3.4 percent to ¥1,147, while Kawasaki Kisen (TYO: 9107) added 4.3 percent to ¥1,549 and Mitsui OSK Lines (TYO: 9104) gained 4.6 percent to ¥1,698.

Declines came in financial services as subprime market worries continued.

Among banks, Sumitomo Mitsui (TYO: 8316) was 1 percent lower to ¥978,000, while Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) was down 1.7 percent to ¥1.14 million for its lowest close in nearly 2 years.

Insurer Millea Holdings (TYO: 8766) dropped 2.1 percent to ¥4,690.

The Tokyo markets were mixed Tuesday.

The Nikkei 225 managed to end the session 0.04 percent higher to 16,921.77, holding on to at least a few of its early gains in which it rose as high as 17,049.45.

The Topix index, however, dropped 0.47 percent to 1,660.16, as low as it has gone since January, and the Mother’s market of small and mid-caps fell 2.05 percent to 801.

Shares connected to energy fell as crude oil prices dropped.

Trader Mitsubishi (TYO: 8058; OTC: MSBHY) was 4.2 percent lower to ¥3,230, while Mitsui (TYO: 8031) fell 5.2 percent to ¥2,485.

Oil exporter Inpex (TYO: 1605) was down 8 percent to ¥1.04 million.

Financial services were mixed.

Broker Nomura (TYO: 8604; NYSE: NMR; SGX: N33) added 0.5 percent to ¥2,145, but Mizuho Financial (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG), Japan’s second biggest bank by assets, fell 2.1 percent to ¥687,000 and Sumitomo Mitusi Financial Group (TYO: 8316) dropped 0.5 percent to ¥970,000.

Mizuho has dropped 18 percent since July 31.

Shinsei Bank (TYO: 8303) was 3.4 percent higher to ¥432 as it reported that it had only lost $30 million on subprime loans, but it also said that it has over six times that amount of US mortgage-backed securities that could be affected.

In the automobile manufacturing sector, Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) was 1 percent higher to ¥7,250 on a report that it has told its parts suppliers that it will increase global production next year,

The Tokyo equities markets saw very little net movement on Tuesday, as exporters gained but domestic stocks were largely lower on the session. The Nikkei 225 added 0.1 percent to 15,874.28, but the Topix index dropped 0.1 percent to 1,591.98.

Among domestic stocks, the real estate sector was 0.5 percent lower, while banks and the securities sectors were each down by 0.7 percent over the session. In the securities sector, the declines hit both traditional and online brokerages. Nomura fell 0.9 percent to ¥2,100, while Mitsubishi dropped 2.5 percent to ¥2,130 and Mitsui was 3.6 percent lower to ¥1,474. Iwai Securities declined by 7 percent to ¥1,860. Online broker Kabu.com dropped 5 percent to ¥207,000, while rival Monex Beans was 3.3 percent lower to ¥96,700.

Meanwhile, in the banking sector, Mitsubishi UFJ fell 1.3 percent to ¥1,480,000.

In the real estate sector Mitsubishi Estate dropped 0.4 percent to ¥2,575, while Mitsui Fudosan was 0.7 percent lower to ¥2,670.

Gains in export-focused sectors were typically small. Carmaker Toyota added 0.5 percent to ¥6,280, while Matsushita Electric Industrial gained 0.8 percent to ¥2,475. Higher commodities prices sent metals companies higher. Sumitomo Metal Mining was up by 1.3 percent to ¥1,538.

Oil-related stocks were up on the day in Tokyo on Thursday, but there was very little movement in the equities markets as a whole. The Nikkei dropped slightly, by 0.2 percent to 17,317.53, while the Topix index was unchanged at 1,747.86.

Oil stocks rose after a report that wholesale gasoline prices could go up next month, possibly as much as ¥4 per litre. Nippon Oil gained 1.5 percent to ¥961, while Showa Shell added 2.9 percent to ¥1,425 and Cosmo Oil added 2.4 percent to ¥679. Japan Petroleum Exploration was up by 3.2 percent to ¥8,370. Nippon Mining, which also has oil interests, gained 1.3 percent to ¥1,152.

Trading houses were also up. Mitsubishi added 3 percent to ¥2,920 and Mitsui & Co was up 1.1 percent to ¥1,824 when it said that it was thinking about new investments to expand its commodities trading.

On the other hand, the consumer loan sector was down again on the possibility that new lending laws might reduce the maximum amount of interest lenders can charge borrowers. Aiful was down 5.4 percent to ¥6,320, while Promise declined by 2.9 percent to ¥6,600.

The paper and pulp sector was down as well, by 1.8 percent as a whole, mainly on concerns about rising raw materials costs. Nippon Paper declined by 2.4 percent to ¥484,000. Oji Paper, Japan’s largest paper manufacturer, was down 2 percent to ¥686.