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.

The Nikkei 225 one of the few Asian equities indices that showed a decline on Tuesday

The Nikkei dropped 0.2 percent to 17,248.89, while the Topix index closed barely higher at 1,706.18 and the Mothers market added 1.38 percent to 864.7.

Earnings results and other news drove gains and losses on the session in Tokyo.

Among banks, Shinsei Bank (TYO: 8303) added 6.4 percent to ¥448 on its report that quarterly recurring profit had gone up by 22 percent in its fiscal first quarter, while net income had risen by 63 percent.

The steel sector, on the other hand, saw declines after Japan’s Fair Trade Commission said it has begun an investigation into Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) and JFE (TYO: 5411) concerning whether the two had engaged in price-fixing.

JFE was 1.7 percent lower to ¥8,210, while Nippon Steel dropped 2 percent to ¥900 as ¥91 billion in shares changed hands on the session.

Sumitomo Metal (TYO: 5405) fell 2.7 percent to ¥692.

The electronics sector was mixed,

Sharp (TYO: 6753) added 1.5 percent to ¥2,065 ahead of news after the close that it will build a new plant in Japan, while Sanyo Electric (TYO: 6764; NAS: SANYY) was 0.5 percent lower to ¥185 on a drop in operating profit of 72 percent in its fiscal first quarter, while Kyocera (TYO: 6971) dropped 6.3 percent to ¥11,500 on disappointing broker comments.

Camera maker Nikon (TYO: 7731) added 5.5 percent to ¥3,820 after Nikko Citigroup raised its target share price.

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.

Tokyo’s equities markets were higher on Thursday, as the Nikkei 225 added 0.6 percent to 18,116.57 and the Topix index gained 0.5 percent to 1,768.

Tokyo Electric Power (TYO: 9501) continued to decline after reports of earthquake damage to one of its nuclear power plants.

It dropped another 5.6 percent to ¥3,400 after Nomura Securities (TYO: 8604; NYSE: NMR; SGX; N33) reduced its recommendation from “neutral” to “reduce”.

The real estate sector also saw declines, with Mitsubishi Estate (TYO: 8802) down 0.9 percent to ¥3,180 and NTT Urban Development (TYO: 8933) falling 1.4 percent to ¥217,000.

The consumer finance sector saw advances after it was reported that Promise (TYO: 8574) and Sanyo Shinpan Finance (TYO: 8573) are about to agree to a merger.

Trade in both companies was halted after the reports, but Promise had added 5.9 percent to ¥3,790 and Sanyo Shinpan was 12.2 percent higher to ¥3,600 before that occurred.

Elsewhere in the sector, Takefuji (TYO: 8564) gained 7.7 percent to ¥4,404 and Aiful (TYO: 8515) was up 11.2 percent to ¥3,480.

The steel sector was up in anticipation of the release of JFE Holdings’ (TYO:5411) quarterly results, due at the end of the month.

JFE added 4.4 percent to ¥8,270, while Nippon Steel (TYL: 5401) was 4.7 percent higher to ¥919.

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.

While the Tokyo equities markets were substantially higher on Thursday, analysts stopped short of saying that the markets are back to normal trading after recent steep declines on global markets. The Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 1.9 percent on the session, to 17,090.31 and 1,720.96 respectively.

The oil sector saw gains based on the rise in the price of crude oil. Inpex (TYO: 1605) added 1.7 percent to ¥981,000, while Nippon Oil (TYO: 5001) gained 3.8 percent to ¥892.

Electronics were also higher after brokers issued upgrades. Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE SNE) was 2.9 percent higher to ¥5,990 when Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) upped its target share price from ¥5,900 to ¥7,000 as it praised the company’s recovery. Toshiba (TYO: 6502) added 5 percent to ¥750 on an upgrade, from “neutral” to “buy”, from Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS); it was also helped by speculation that price declines for NAND flash memory were about to end.

The steel sector was up 3.5 percent as a whole, with Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) outpacing the sector as it gained 4.5 percent to ¥891.

Shippers added 3 percent as a sector, with Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) adding 2.9 percent to ¥928.

As the Bank of Japan began its two days of meetings ahead of announcing a new decision on interest rates, the Nikkei 225 closed even Tuesday at 17,939.12, while the Topix index added 0.2 percent to 1,782.73. Investors remained cautious ahead of the Bank’s announcement, scheduled for Wednesday, while analysts were divided over whether rate would go up or not. The banking sector fell 0.2 percent amid uncertainty over what the Bank will decide.

Bids news was in focus. In the automobile manufacturing sector, the news that Volvo (Stockholm Stock Exchange: VOLV A, VOLV B; NASDAQ: VOLV) will acquire Nissan Diesel Motor (TYO: 7210) produced so many buy orders at ¥523, 18.1 percent higher than at the close on Monday, that the company’s shares did not trade on the session.

In the steel sector, Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) added 2.6 percent and Nakayama Steel Works (TYO: 5408) was 6.6 percent higher after Nippon said that it has increased its stake in Nakayama to 8.72 percent. Nippon closed at ¥785, while Nakayama ended the session at ¥501. Elsewhere in the sector, Sumitomo Metal Mining (TYO: 5405) gained 4.1 percent to ¥1,890, while Japan Steel Works was up 7.4 percent to ¥1,214.

EAccess (TYO:9427) was 6 percent higher to ¥83,000 after its mobile phone division said it would start offering wireless data services at the end of March.

In Tokyo on Monday the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.3 percent on the session, to close at 17,470.46 and 1,733.59 respectively.

Export-focused sectors benefited as the yen weakened versus the US dollar. The machinery sector gained 1.4 percent as a whole, with Komatsu ending 3.4 percent higher to ¥2,560.

The steel sector gained on the news that JFE is in talks with South Korea’s Hyundai Steel. Nippon Steel added 1 percent to ¥711, while JFE was 1.6 percent higher to ¥6,800.

Word of a bird flu outbreak in Japan translated to gains for Chugai Pharmaceutical, the manufacturer of Tamiflu, which is believed to be effective against the disease in humans. Chugai added 1.8 percent to ¥2,780 on the session.

Internet and telecommunications company Softbank added 5.6 percent to ¥2,735 on an upgrade from Credit Suisse. The broker upped its recommendation from “under perform” to “outperform” and raised its target share price from ¥1,340 to ¥3,110.

In the retail sector, news that Wal-Mart could be looking for acquisitions in Japan sent its Japanese division, Seiyu, 13.1 percent higher to ¥190 on merger hopes.

The Tokyo equities markets saw very little movement on Tuesday. The Nikkei 225 was lower, but only by 0.1 percent to 17,408.57, while the Topix index held steady at 1,730.76.

Steelmakers were higher on the session, protecting the markets from losses in other sectors. Tokyo Steel Manufacturing added 3.2 percent to ¥1,755 an the announcement that it will increase the prices it charges for its products. Nippon Steel gained 4.3 percent to ¥695, its highest share price in 16 years, helped by an earlier hike it its target share price, from ¥600 to ¥760, by UBS. The broker said that the target was raised due to increased demand for high-grade steel.

The construction sector saw declines as a bids-rigging scandal continued to unfold with searches of the offices of several companies. Obayashi dropped 2.3 percent to ¥733, while Shimizu fell 3.2 percent to ¥612 and Kajima was 3.7 percent lower to ¥544.

Banks and the real estate sector both were lower as investors took profits. The banking sector dropped 0.4 percent, with Mitsubishi UFJ falling 1.3 percent to ¥1,530,000. Meanwhile, the real estate sector was 1.1 percent lower with Mitsubishi Estate down 0.9 percent to ¥3,360 and Mitsui Fudosan 1.3 percent lower to ¥3,080.