In Tokyo on Wednesday the Nikkei 225 added 0.64 percent to 17,029.28, while the Topix index gained 0.53 percent to 1,669.04.

On the other hand, the Mothers market dropped 2.15 percent to 783.78.

Condiments maker Bull-Dog Sauce (TYO: 2804) dropped 16 percent, the most the exchange allows in a day, to ¥530 after it revised its annual profit forecast from a gain of ¥500 million to a loss of ¥980 million due to its spending to repel a hostile takeover by hedge fund Steel Partners, which said that it was reducing its bid for Bull-Dog Sauce from ¥1,700 per share to ¥425 per share.

With machinery orders down 10.4 percent in June, much more than analysts had expected, machinery makers saw declines. Komatsu (TYO: 6301) fell 4.6 percent to ¥3,550 while Amada Co (TYO:6113), which produces metal cutting machines and automation systems, dropped 5.6 percent to ¥1,345.

Banks, down recently, saw gains after a series of declines. Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) gained 3.5 percent to ¥1.2 million, while Mizuho (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) was up 3.6 percent to ¥712,000.

The telecommunications sector was also higher as new data showed that several mobile phone operators have gained subscribers.

NTT DoCoMo (TYO: 9437) was 3 percent higher to ¥171,000, while Softbank (TYO: 9984) was up 4.5 percent to ¥2,555 and KDDI (TYO: 9433) gained 5.2 percent to ¥808,000.

Besides the new subscriber data, KDDI was also reported to be joining with Kyocera (TYO: 6971; NYSE: KYO), its biggest shareholder, to apply for the necessary permits to offer wireless internet services.

The Nikkei 225 was fractionally higher Monday, adding 5.49 points to 17,289.3, while the Topix index gained 0.4 percent to 1,705.71.

The Mothers market of small and mid-cap stocks was 1.63 percent higher to 852.93.

The gains came despite predicted declines after the ruling Liberal Democratic party lost its control of the upper house of Japan’s parliament, the Diet, in Sunday’s elections.

The steel sector saw gains after JFE (TYO: 5411) said its operating profit in the quarter ending in June was up 59 percent and income was 63 percent higher.

JFE added 5 percent to ¥8,350.

Nippon Steel (TYO: 5401) also announced a profit increase and Nippon Metal (TYO: 5479) said its income was a ¥3.5 billion, up from ¥75 million last year at the same time.

Quarterly reports helped some in the electronics sector as well, where Mitsubishi Electric (TYO: 6503) was 9.9 percent higher to ¥1,266 after it said that profits were up by 63 percent in the most recent quarter.

On the other hand, Sony (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SNE) was down 1.1 percent to ¥6,350.

In the automobile manufacturing sector Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NSYE: TM; LSE: TYT) gained 0.1 percent to ¥7,270 after early declines.

Sectors that are domestically focused were lower after more price cuts were announced by NTT DoCoMo (TYO: 9437), which then dropped 2.4 percent to ¥166,000.

KDDI (TYO: 9433) was also lower, falling 2.1 percent to ¥793,000.

Softbank (TYO: 9984), which also has a mobile phone unit, was 1 percent lower to ¥2,490.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei was 0.2 percent higher on Tuesday to 18,002, while the Topix index advanced 0.5 percent to 1,765.99 and the Mothers market of small and mid-caps jumped 1.98 percent to 852.21.

Tokyo Electric Power (TYO: 9501) was higher after several sessions of losses after last week’s earthquake damaged one of its nuclear power plants, adding 3.4 percent to ¥3,340.

Also managing a comeback was the telecommunications sector, which had been lower after two mobile operators announced price cuts.

KDDI (TYO: 9433) had the best rebound in the sector, gaining 4.8 percent to ¥870,000 on a 15.6 gain in operating profits in the quarter ending in June.

Elsewhere in the sector, NTT DoCoMo (TYO: 9437) was 1.1 percent higher to ¥178,000 and Softbank (TYO: 9984) was up ¥2,620.

The banking sector also saw gains.

Mitsubishi UFJ (TYO: 8306; NYSE: MTU) was 0.77 percent higher to ¥1,310,000, while Mizuho Financial (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) gained 2.1 percent to ¥857,000 and Resona Holdings (TYO; 8308) added 4.1 percent to ¥280,000.

The Tokyo equities markets were lower on Monday as the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each dropped 1.1 percent, to 17,963.64 and 1,757.29 respectively.

The declines came after losses in New York on Friday and on polls over the weekend that showed Japan’s ruling party could see a defeat in next Sunday’s elections for the Upper House of its parliament.

Some analysts believe that a major defeat could mean a resignation from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that could send both equities and the yen lower, at least temporarily.

Tokyo Electric Power (TYO: 9501) saw another loss, falling 2.7 percent to ¥3,230 in the wake of last week’s earthquake.

Also seeing further losses was the telecommunications sector, after some major mobile phone providers cut prices last week.

KDDI (TYO: 9433) was 2.7 percent lower to ¥830,000, while NTT DoCoMo (TYO: 9437) dropped 2.8 percent to ¥176,000.

Softbank (TYO: 9984), which did not announce a price cut, was down 3.4 percent to ¥2,575.

The construction machinery sector was lower after a worse-than-expected quarterly report from US company Caterpillar (NSYE: CAT).

Hitachi Construction Machinery (TYO: 6305) fell 1.2 percent to ¥4,980, while Komatsu (TYO: 6301) dropped 1.3 percent to ¥3,940.

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.

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.

There were slight gains in the Tokyo equities markets on Wednesday as investors continue to hesitate ahead of the Bank of Japan’s interest rate decision, due Thursday. The Nikkei 225 added 0.3 percent to 17,261.35, while the Topix index was up 0.2 percent to 1,706.76.

The banking sector was lower, dropping 1.1 percent as a whole. Sumitomo Trust & Banking matched the sector with a 1.1 percent decline, to ¥1,309. Mitsubishi UFJ held steady at ¥1,530,000.

On the other hand, the real estate sector saw gains on the session. Mitsui Fudosan was 1.9 percent higher to ¥2,970, while Sumitomo Realty & Development added 2.1 percent to ¥3,830 and Mitsubishi Estate was up 2.9 percent to ¥3,240.

With the yen weaker, some export-focused stocks were up, with the machinery sector gaining 1 percent. Construction equipment manufacturer Komatsu gained 1.5 percent to ¥2.425.

The Japanese semiconductors sector was lower on the session after US chipmaker Intel said that its profits in the fourth quarter were down by 40 percent and warned that margins would not improve anytime soon. Tokyo Electron dropped 0.3 percent to ¥9,270, while Advantest fell 0.5 percent to ¥6,630.

NTT DoCoMo was 0.5 percent lower to ¥190,000 after its spring line of mobile units failed to impress.

The Japanese equities markets were significantly higher on Friday. The Nikkei 225 added 1.3 percent to 17,057.01, while the Topix index gained 1.7 percent to 1,685.27. Export-focused sectors were largely responsible for the gains, helped out by a weaker yen.

The electronics sector was up 2 percent as a whole. Hitachi added 1.3 percent to ¥790, while Sony gained 2.4 percent to ¥5,560 and Matsushita Electric Industrial was 3.3 percent higher to ¥2,385. Matsushita, which makes the Panasonic brand of consumer electronics, had seen losses earlier in the week in connection to its announced plans to build a new factory to manufacture plasma displays.

The automobile manufacturing sector was also 2 per cent higher, with Toyota up 2.1 percent to ¥7,820.

The banking sector was 2.5 percent higher ahead of a Bank of Japan meeting to decide on interest rates, scheduled for next week. Mitsubishi UFJ gained 2.7 percent to ¥1,510,000.

Telecommunications companies had mixed results on the session. NTT DoCoMo added 0.5 percent to ¥193,000, while KDDI was 3.1 percent higher to ¥808,000 on new data that showed its share of the mobile phone market higher since October. Softbank, however, dropped 1 percent to ¥2,460.

In the retail sector, Fast Retailing dropped 13.6 percent to ¥9,600 when it reduced its full-year profit expectations.

In the first trading day since the beginning of the new year, the Tokyo equities markets were higher Thursday as export-dependent shares gained on a weak yen. The Nikkei 225 added 0.74 percent to 17,353.67, while the Topix index was 1.06 percent higher to 1,698.

In the electronics sector, Sony was up 1.8 percent to ¥5,190, while Matsushita added 2.3 percent to ¥2,430 even though it is facing a legal challenge to its patent on Bluetooth technology. Hitachi, meanwhile, was 6.1 percent higher to ¥787 on hopes raised by its joint venture in power generation with US company General Electric.

Carmakers were also helped by the yen’s weakness. Honda gained 1.1 percent to ¥4,750, while Nissan was up 1.4 percent to ¥1,454. Toyota was 1.8 percent higher to ¥8,110. Expectations are that Toyota could take over as the world’s biggest automobile manufacturer this year.

In the telecommunications sector, NTT DoCoMo added 3.2 percent to ¥194,000 on reports that it is looking to keep costs low while it builds a new, “super” 3G network.

The oil sector saw declines on the session after declines in the price of crude oil. Japan Petroleum Exploration dropped almost 2 percent to ¥6,940. Refiner Idemitsu Kosan was 2.84 percent lower to ¥11,640.

Tokyo equities markets were higher on Thursday even though the non-ferrous metals sector declined by 0.4 percent after commodities prices fell in the overnight hours. The Nikkei 225 added 0.6 percent to 16,473.36, while the Topix index gained 0.5 percent to 1,622.77.

The recent advances in the consumer finance sector seemed to be slowing down. Takefuji remained steady at ¥4,770 and Credit Saison was 0.9 percent higher to ¥4,300. Only Aiful managed a significant gain, adding 4.1 percent to ¥3,850.

Two companies made their trading debuts on the session, but both IPOs suffered losses on their first day. Independent investment research business Japaninvest debuted with an IPO price fo ¥150,000 but closed down to ¥135,000. Meanwhile, internet service provider Nifty’s IPO price was ¥210,000; it ended the session at ¥203,000.

In the telecommunications sector, results were mixed. KDDI added 0.3 percent to ¥784,000, but Softbank dropped 0.4 percent to ¥3,475 and NTT DoCoMo fell 1.1 percent to ¥180,000 on the news that it has lost subscribers for the first time.

Among companies that deal in non-ferrous metals, Toho Zinc dropped 0.4 percent to ¥979, while Sumitomo Metal Mining fell 0.7 percent to ¥1,524 and Mitsui Mining $ Smelting was 1.3 percent lower to ¥551.