In Tokyo on Thursday, the Nikkei 225 had its highest close in 11 weeks as it added 1.64 percent to 17,458.98, while the Topix index was 1.17 percent higher to 1,677.52 and the Mothers market jumped 2.87 percent to 881.81.

The gain came after Moody’s Investor Service increased its rating on Japan’s debt to A1, saying that the new prime minister will work to cut the nation’s debt.

The retail sector was higher on news and an upgrade.

Convenience store operator Lawson Inc (TYO: 2651) added 1.1 percent to ¥3,780 on its report that profits were up 21 percent in the quarter ending 31 August and after it announced a stock buy-back program.

FamilyMart Co (TYO: 8028) was up 1.6 percent to ¥3,130 on a broker upgrade to “outperform”, while Aeon (TYO: 8267) gained 4.4 percent to ¥1,863 on the announcement that it will partner with a Chinese company to open up to 30 shopping malls in China.

Shippers were also higher.

Kawasaki Kisen (TYO: 9107) was up 3.5 percent to ¥1,731, while Nippon Yusen (TYO: 9101) jumped 5.1 percent to ¥1,213.

Losers included supplies of parts for Boeing’s (NYSE: BA; TYO: 7661) 787 Dreamliner aircraft, after the US aerospace group announced that deliveries of the first planes would be delayed by six months.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (TYO: 7011) dropped 1.2 percent to ¥719, while Kawasaki Heavy Industries (TYO: 7012) was down 2.2 percent to ¥444.

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.

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.

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.

Sell-offs in the shipping sector prevented the Tokyo equities markets from advancing on Thursday. The Nikkei 225 closed even at 17,292.48, while the Topix index closed 0.5 percent lower to 1,720.18. The Nikkei was prevent from dropping mainly by export-focused sectors which saw gains due to weakness in the yen.

The shipping sector fell 5.1 percent as a whole on the session. The declines came after Nippon Yusen, the largest shipper in Japan, cut its prediction on operating profits for its fiscal year, which ends in March. Yusen fell 7.8 percent to ¥904. The news helped send Kawasaki Kisen 4.2 percent lower to ¥1,044 even though it raised its estimate on operating profits by ¥1 billion, to ¥61 billion. Mitsui OSK Lines dropped 3.5 percent to ¥1,225.

Among export-focused sectors, electrical machinery added 0.5 percent on the day, while transport equipment gained 0.3 percent. Advantest gained 2.2 percent to ¥5,570. Honda Motor was 1.7 percent higher to ¥4,710.

The telecommunications sector was higher. KDDI added 1.8 percent to ¥925,000 after it gained the most subscribers of any Japanese telecom in the latest figures released. NTT DoCoMo gained 4.4 percent to ¥215,000.

Chugai Pharmaceutical was 6.2 percent higher to ¥2,835 on a statement from Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche that it was thinking about raising its stake. Roche already owns half of Chugai. The drug maker was also helped by an upgrade from “hold” to “buy” from Nikko Citigroup.

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.

After a new Tankan report on business sentiment from the Bank of Japan came out about as expected, the Tokyo equities markets were up on Friday. The Nikkei 225 added 0.5 percent to 16,914.31, while the Topix index gained 0.3 percent to 1,657.40. Even though the Tankan figures were seen as positive, analysts are still convinced that the Bank will decline to raise interest rates when it meets next week.

In the tobacco sector, Japan Tobacco was 3.1 percent higher to ¥597,000 after it said it is talking to UK company Gallaher about a purchase.

The electronics sector added 0.5 percent as a whole, and Sony gained 1.6 percent to ¥5,050.

Domestically, the retail sector was up 0.4 percent, while Japan’s largest retailer, Aeon, was 1 percent higher to ¥2,575.

The securities sector also saw gains. Nomura Holdings added 1.2 percent to ¥2,165, while Daiwa Securities Group was up 1.4 percent to ¥1,336.

Transport sectors were driven lower by an increase in crude oil prices. Domestic airline All Nippon Airways dropped 0.9 percent to ¥433. Among shippers, Mitsui OSK was 0.5 percent lower to ¥1,110 and Nippon Yusen fell 1.1 percent to ¥847.

The rise in oil prices was good news for Inpex, however, which added 2.1 percent on the session to ¥1,010,000.

The Tokyo equities markets were lower on Tuesday as investors worried about interest rates at home as well as the state of the US dollar and how export-focused business would be affected if it continues to decline. The Nikkei 225 fell 0.2 percent to 16,265.76. The Topix dropped even more, declining 0.6 percent to 1,598.89.

The worries of export-related sectors were illustrated by declines in the electronics sector, which dropped 0.5 percent as a whole. Sharp and Sony each fell 0.9 percent, to ¥1,910 and ¥4,510 respectively. Transport equipment fared even worse, as the sector dropped 0.7 percent.

Monday’s fall in oil prices benefited the airlines and shipping sectors. Shipping was up 2.7 percent as a whole. Nippon Yusen added 2.3 percent to ¥838, while Kawasaki Kisen gained 3 percent to ¥864 and Mitsui OSK was 3.1 percent higher to ¥1,091.

All Nippon Airways added 0.7 percent to ¥425 not only after oil prices fell but on the news that they are in merger talks with South Korea’s Asiana Airlines.

The lower oil prices, however, sent shares in Inpex 3.4 percent lower to ¥995,000.

In the retail sector, Fast Retailing was 5.7 percent higher to ¥10,910 after it said that same-store sales were up 8 percent in November over the same period last year, helped by cold weather clothing sales.