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 joined the rest of Asia, and the rest of the world, in declines on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 fell 2.9 percent to 16,676.89, while the Topix index also dropped 2.9 percent on the session, to 1,674.94.

Export-focused sectors were lower on earlier strengthening of the yen. The automobile manufacturing sector was down 2.8 percent as a whole. Toyota (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) performed even worse than the sector, dropping 3.2 percent to ¥7,540.

The sea transport sector lost 2.3 percent overall, with Mitsui OSK (TYO: 9140) falling 3.8 percent to ¥1,307.

Among domestic sectors, real estate was 5.6 percent lower, with both Mitsui Fudosan (TYO: 8801; NAS: MDSFF) and Sumitomo Realty & Development (TYO: 8830) doing worse than the sector as a whole. Mitsui Fudosan was 6.4 percent lower to ¥3,220, while Sumitomo Realty & Development (TYO: 8830) dropped 6.8 percent to ¥4,540.

The iron and steel sector was also lower, by 4.1 percent, with Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) down 3.8 percent to ¥835.

Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06) was not traded after buy orders flooded in after Citigroup (NYSE: C) was said to have raised its bid for the broker. The buy orders, at ¥1,690, were 13.4 percent higher than Tuesday’s closing price.

The Tokyo equities markets were lower on Tuesday as the yen strengthened and investors chose to take profits in sectors such as real estate and steel. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.7 percent to 17,178.84, while the Topix index was 0.9 percent lower to 1,725.43. The declines came amid wide declines in other Asian markets.

Export-focused sectors were hurt by the yen. The automobile manufacturing sector was 0.7 percent lower as a whole, while Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) lost even more, dropping 1.1 percent to ¥7,790. Meanwhile, in the electronics sector, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was 2.1 percent lower to ¥6,110. TDK (TYO: 8326; NYSE: TDK; LSE: TDK), which makes electronics parts, however, added 3.8 percent to ¥9,650 after an upgrade from “neutral” to “buy” from Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS).

In the steel sector, Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) was down 2.1 percent to ¥868, while JFE Holdings (TYO: 5411) fell 2.6 percent to ¥7,350 as investors took profits following recent gains generated by consolidation rumors.

Mitsui Fudosan (TYO: 8801; NAS: MDSFF) dropped 0.9 percent to ¥3,440 in a real estate sector that dropped 1.1 percent on the session. Sumitomo Realty & Development (TYO: 8830) was 1.8 percent lower to ¥4,870.

Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06) added 6.1 percent to ¥1,490 after word from the Tokyo Stock Exchange that it will not delist the broker after all. The delisting had been widely expected after Nikko’s recent accounting scandal.

Equities markets in Tokyo were lower on Wednesday as investors worried over the state of the US economy. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.5 percent to 16,764.62, while the Topix index fell 0.2 percent to 1,689.60. The Mothers market of small and mid-caps was 1.2 percent lower to 1,036.58.

Export-focused stocks, which are generally more affected when investors are concerned about economic conditions in the US, were mixed. Carmaker Toyota (TYO: 7203.T; NYSE: TM; LSE: TYT) added 0.3 percent to ¥7,740. On the other hand, camera and office machinery maker Canon (TYO: 7739) dropped 2.4 percent to ¥6,070. Consumer electronics manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial (TYO: 6752; NYSE: MC) was 0.4 percent lower to ¥2,295.

The crackdown on interest charges in the consumer finance sector hurt Orient (TYO: 8585) after it blamed a larger than expected net loss in the year to March on having had to repay interest charges which were judged to be illegally high. The consumer lender fell 13.6 percent to ¥146.

Elsewhere in financial sectors, trouble broker Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06) added 1.3 percent to ¥1,357 on news of a bid from Citigroup (NYSE: C).

The real estate sector added 2.5 percent as a whole, with Mitsui Fudosan (TYO: 8801; NAS: MDSFF) up 3.5 percent to ¥3,270.

Retailer Aeon (TYO: 8267) dropped 3 percent to ¥2,300 after a lowered estimate of operating profits through March as a mild winter cut sales of seasonal products.

The Tokyo equities markets were much lower on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 dropped 515 points, or 2.85 percent, to close at 17,604, while the Topix index fell 3.23 percent to 1,752.74. At one point during the session, every stock listed on the Nikkei was in negative territory, but a few were able to make it back into positive figures by the end of the day.

Trade was suspended on the Topix index for 15 minutes early in the session when the index fell 70 points in a short period of time, triggering its “safety valve” in the event of a sudden, substantial decline. There was also a warning that if the Topix fell by 100 points below the previous close, another safety device would trigger and suspect arbitrage trading in all First Section shares. That step never had to be taken. Still, declines were sharp enough that chief cabinet secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said that the government was monitoring the market closely, although assurances were made that Japan’s economy was still sound.

Nikko Cordial (TYO: 8603; SGX: N06) was hurt by news reports that the Tokyo Stock Exchange was in the final stages of preparing to delist it after its recent scandals. The broker’s shares fell 14.85 percent in consequence of the rumors. Elsewhere in the securities sector, Daiwa Securities (TYO: 8601) were 5.3 percent lower to ¥1,501, while Nomura Holdings (TYO: 8604; SGX: N33; NYSE: NMR) fell 5.33 percent, to ¥2,575.

Kobe Steel (TYO: 5406) was just one of many miners and heavy industries that fell on the session, dropping 4.23 percent to ¥4.76.

Nippon Meat Packers (TYO: 2282) was one of the two companies listed on the Nikkei to end the session higher. It added 3.78 percent to ¥1,481.

After taking Monday off for a holiday, the Tokyo equities markets gained ground on Tuesday. Most of the advances came in domestic sectors after indications that Japan’s economic recovery is proceeding as scheduled. The Nikkei 225 added 0.67 percent to 17,621.45, while the Topix index gained 0.62 percent to 1,755.90.

The real estate sector gained on a report from Mitsui Fudosan that its profits in the past 9 months had risen by 14 percent, driven by increasing demand for office space. Mitsui added 6.83 percent to ¥3,440, its highest share price ever. Sumitomo Realty & Development gained 6.4 percent to ¥4,820, while Mitsubishi Estate was 3.91 percent higher to ¥2,730.

Banks were also up. Mizuho Financial Group added 0.7 percent to ¥865,000, while Mitsubishi UFJ gained 1.39 percent to ¥1.46 million and SMFG added 1.74 percent to ¥1.17 million.

Nikko Cordial, which has seen huge declines recently due to an accounting scandal, was 6.56 percent higher to ¥1,250 as investors hoped for news about how the broker will improve its accounting practices.

The Tokyo equities markets bounced back from Monday’s sell-offs to end the session higher on Tuesday. The Nikkei 225 closed up 0.4 percent to 17,406.86, while the Topix index was 0.9 percent higher to 1,732.42.

As the yen weakened late in the day, export-focused stocks saw gains. In the automobile manufacturing sector, Nissan Motor added 0.3 percent to ¥1,387 after steep declines on Monday. Toyota Motor was 1.8 percent higher to ¥7,960, while Honda Motor gained 2 percent to ¥4,620.

In the electronics sector, Canon added 1.3 percent to ¥6,230. Sony was 2.5 percent higher to ¥5,840. Meanwhile, camera manufacturers were helped not only by the weakness of the yen but by the shift to digital cameras. Nikon and Olympus both had significant gains in the last quarter of 2006 and both upped their full-year expectations. Olympus added 3.9 percent on the session to ¥4,050, while Nikon gained 5.4 percent to ¥2,750.

Even Nikko Cordial saw a gain of 1.9 percent to ¥1,175 after it was revealed that US investment house Harris Associates had acquired a 5 percent stake in Nikko.

The banking sector was lower after Goldman Sachs downgraded the entire sector from “attractive” to “neutral”. Mitsubishi UJF dropped 0.7 percent to ¥1.41 million.

Despite mixed earnings reports, the Tokyo equities markets were up Thursday. The Nikkei 225 added 0.8 percent to 17,519.50, while the Topix index gained 1 percent to 1,738.58.

The advances came even though scandal-ridden Nikko Cordial dropped a further 15.5 percent to ¥1,000 on investor concerns that it could be delisted in consequence of its accounting improprieties.

Electronics-related sectors were mixed. Consumer electronics manufacturers were higher. Sharp added 1.5 percent to ¥2,085 after it revealed that its operating profits were up 13 percent in the quarter. Sony was up 2 percent to ¥5,660 on an upgrade from “hold” to “buy” from Nikko Citigroup.

On the other hand, Tokyo Electron dropped 1.2 percent to ¥8,430 and Advantest was 2.8 percent lower to ¥5,870. These declines came after Fujitsu fell 5 percent to ¥860 on a disappointing quarterly report. It blamed its drop in profits on the price of microchips and hard drives, and said that it foresees further declines in the future.

Honda Motor was also lower on profits, as it reported that profits were below expectations and operating profits were steady in its fiscal third quarter. Honda’s 0.4 percent decline to ¥4,710 was an anomaly in an automobile manufacturing sector that added 0.4 percent on the session.

Equities markets were lower in Tokyo on Wednesday as profit-taking continued in several sectors. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.6 percent to 17,383.42, while the Topix index fell 0.6 percent as well, to 1,721.96.

The shipping sector was lower not only on profit-taking but as crude oil prices rose. The sector as a whole dropped 1.5 percent. Mitsui OSK Lines was 1 percent lower to ¥1,256, while Nippon Yusen fell 1.7 percent to ¥923 and Kawasaki Kisen dropped 2.8 percent to ¥1,044.

In the electronics sector, Sony dropped 1.4 percent to ¥5,550 after an improved annual profits forecast didn’t meet with investor approval.

Toyota Motor was 1.1 percent lower to ¥7,950, higher than the 1 percent decline in the sector as a whole. Exporters were hurt even though the US dollar remained high versus the yen during the trading day.

Nikko Cordial was 14.5 percent lower to ¥1,184 after it was revealed that the company’s accounting scandal included manipulation of earnings by top executives in the company, raising the chances that it will be delisted by the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The new revelations came from an in-house investigation.

With investors seeming to want to hold off on committing their money anywhere before the Bank of Japan makes its decision on interest rates Thursday, the Tokyo equities markets moved very little on Tuesday. The Nikkei 225 was unchanged at 17,202.46, while the Topix index was lower, but only by 0.1 percent to 1,703.54.

In the retail sector, department stores were lower on worries that early January sales will turn out to have been less than hoped. Mitsukoshi dropped 0.7 percent to ¥562, while Isetan fell 1.1 percent to ¥2,185. Takashimaya was 2.6 percent lower to ¥1,591 and Daimaru was down 2.7 percent to ¥1,507.

After an industry organization predicted double-digit growth for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, stocks related to the manufacture of computer chips saw gains. Tokyo Electron was 1.2 percent higher to ¥9,300, while Advantest gained 1.8 percent to ¥6,660.

The securities sector was still being helped by consolidation rumors. The sector as a whole added 0.5 percent, with Matsui Securities up 0.9 percent to ¥983 and Nikko Cordial added 2.1 percent to ¥1,337. Nikko Cordial, however, is still significantly lower than it was directly before an accounting scandal was revealed in December.