The Tokyo equities markets were lower on Friday as trade volumes were low ahead of another holiday weekend. The Nikkei 225 dropped 1.51 percent to 17,091.51, while the Topix index was 1.4 percent lower to 1,675.33.

The automobile manufacturing sector saw losses as investors took profits after recent gains. Toyota was down 2.4 percent to ¥7,900, while Honda fell almost 3 percent to ¥4,600.

Other export-dependent sectors also saw declines. Canon was 2 percent lower to ¥6,530. Meanwhile, industrial robot manufacturer Fanuc fell 2.8 percent to ¥11,430. Bucking the trend was Toshiba, which was 1.64 percent higher to ¥808 on reports that it will develop a new boiling water reactor for nuclear power plants, to be marketed both domestically and in foreign markets by 2015.

Declines in crude oil prices hurt oil companies. Inpex dropped 2.5 percent to ¥919,000, while Japan Petroleum fell almost 5 percent to ¥6,610.

The steel sector was down as well, as were companies dealing in non-ferrous metals. Among steel makers, JFE was 5.7 percent lower to ¥5,750 and Nippon Steel was down 6 percent to ¥622. In the non-ferrous metals sector, Mitsubishi Materials fell 1.4 percent to ¥430, while Sumitomo Metal Mining was 2.5 percent lower to ¥1,456 and Toho Zinc dropped 7.4 percent to ¥1,021.

Gainers on the day included department store Isetan, which added 2 percent to ¥2,230 on record sales. Oji Paper was helped by the decline in crude oil prices, gaining almost 4 percent to ¥675.

In Tokyo on Monday, equities markets were higher after the latest Tankan Survey by the Bank of Japan. The Nikkei 225 was 0.8 percent higher to 16,254.29, while the Topix index gained 0.9 percent to 1,625.12.

Some export-oriented stocks were also helped by a weaker yen. Matsuhsita Electric Industrial was 1.2 percent higher to ¥2,530. On the other hand, Sony was hurt by yet another recall of its laptop batteries, dropping 1.1 percent as a consequence, to ¥4,730. Carmakers were higher, with Toyota Motor up 1.1 percent to ¥6,490 and Honda Motor adding 2.5 percent to ¥4,070.

Metals manufacturers were up substantially on the session. Nippon Steel was 1.7 percent higher to ¥494, while JFE gained 1.9 percent to ¥4,720. Among non-ferrous metals makers, Dowa added 2.2 percent to ¥1,041.

In the telecommunications sector, KDDI was 1.8 percent higher to ¥749,000 on reports that it will purchase Tokyo Electric Power’s fibre optics unit. Tepco was up 0.9 percent to ¥3,430.

The real estate sector was 1.4 percent higher. Mitsui Fudosan added 0.7 percent to ¥2,705, while Mitsubishi Estate gained 2.7 percent to ¥2,650.

Elsehwere, the paper and pulp sector was mixed as Oji Paper managed a gain of 0.2 percent to ¥648, but Hokuetsu Paper was 0.4 percent lower to ¥714.

Tokyo equities markets were higher on Thursday after the yen fell to yet another record low in relation to the euro. The yen fell in reaction to weak industrial output data. Export-focused stocks did especially well as investors believed that the euro’s strength against the yen would make Japanese goods more attractive to European shoppers. The Nikkei 225 added 1.7 percent to 16,140.76 and the Topix index was 1.4 percent higher to 1,634.46.

Camera makers Canon and Konica Minolta were both higher, up 2.3 percent to ¥5,840 and 4.7 percent to ¥1,535 respectively. Carmakers also saw gains. Toyota Motor added 1.3 percent to ¥6,370, while Nissan Motor gained 2.4 percent to ¥1,334.

Some domestic sectors were also up on the day. In the banking sector, for example, Mitsubishi UFJ was up 0.6 percent to ¥1,600,000 after announcing plans for expansion in Indonesia. SMFG advanced by 2.3 percent to ¥1,320,000.

Reports that it will enter into an operations agreement with Nippon Paper Group, Hokuetsu Paper Mills added 2.3 percent to ¥725. Most analysts believe that such a deal will effectively block Oji Paper’s attempt to take over Hokuetsu. Oji was up 0.9 percent to ¥666, while Nippon Paper gained 3.3 percent to ¥436,000.

Japan Airport, which runs Tokyo’s main domestic airport, added 7.9 percent to ¥1,438 on the announcement that the Japan Olympic Committee will put forward Tokyo as a candidate for host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Tokyo equities markets were lower on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 falling by 1.1 percent to 15,7562.59 and the Topix index dropping 1.2 percent to 1,600.25.

There were gainers on the day, however. Nippon Steel added 1.2 percent to ¥495 on a report that it will pay shareholders a dividend for the first time in 14 years. The divided is expected to be around ¥4, and is a result of higher than expected earnings. In the electronics sector, Toshiba gained 1 percent to ¥783 on an announcement from Microsoft that Toshiba will make its “Zune” portable media player, meant as competition to the iPod from Apple.

The paper sector was lower on the session. Hokuetsu was down by 2.3 percent to ¥758 after it was revealed that it is discussing an alliance with a Korean manufacturer. This would reportedly help it repel Oji Paper’s takeover bid. Oji, which has offered Hokuetsu ¥800 per share, was lower as well, by 0.3 percent to ¥688.

Softbank declined by 5.6 percent as investors were still worried that it had taken on too much debt with its purchase earlier this year of Vodafone’s mobile phone division. Last week, Lehman Brothers issued a decreased 12-month share price estimate on Softbank from ¥1,125 to ¥900.

Equities markets in Tokyo were lower on Friday, with the Nikkei 225 dropping 0.1 percent to 15,938.66 and the Topix index falling 0.2 percent to 1,619.81. Both had been higher earlier in the session as inflation was reported lower than had been expected, indicating that the Bank of Japan won’t raise interest rates soon. However, a huge decline by shares in Softbank sent the markets in a negative direction.

Softbank, the internet services company that ventured into the mobile telecommunications business with its takeover of Vodafone, declined by 9.7 percent to ¥2,265 as investors worried about the size of its debt. Earlier this week, Lehman Brothers issued negative comments.

Hokuetsu Paper was 3.4 percent lower to ¥776 as Oji Paper’s takeover bid looked less and less likely to go forward. Oji, meanwhile, added 0.4 percent to ¥690.

Sony dropped another 2 percent to ¥5,000 when the recall of batteries it manufactures for laptop computers extended beyond Dell to Apple computers.

In domestic sectors, real estate and securities each fell 0.7 percent. Among real estate companies, Mitsubishi Estate was 0.8 percent lower to ¥2,475.

The Tokyo finance markets were higher on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.2 percent, to 15,464.29 and 1,569.65 respectively. The Mothers index of small and mid-caps was even higher, gaining 5 percent to 1,277.3.

Oji Paper was 2.1 percent higher to ¥681 after it said it will continue to pursue its hostile takeover bid for Hokuetsu Paper Mills. Hokuetsu gained 3.8 percent to ¥814.

The pharmaceuticals sector was mixed. Takeda added 0.8 percent to ¥7,540 and Daiichi Sankyo was up by 2 percent to ¥3,310. Astellas, however, dropped 1.3 percent to ¥4,510 after higher research expenditures and lower prices on its products led to a decline of 64 percent in quarterly profits.

Export-focused businesses saw share prices fall. Camera and copier maker Canon was 0.9 percent lower to ¥5,400, while Sony declined by 1 percent to ¥5,180. Heavy machinery manufacturer Komatsu fell 1.1 percent to ¥2,275 and industrial robot maker Fanuc ended the session down 2 percent to ¥9,330.

Industrial electronics manufacturer Hitachi dropped 3.5 percent to 693 after it was said that it is being urged to pay more than ¥100 billion to compensate Chubu Electric Power after one of the utility’s nuclear plants shut down because a Hitachi-designed turbine was flawed.

Banks were down on the session. Mizuho Financial fell 0.4 percent to ¥939,000, while Mitsubishi UFJ dropped 0.6 percent to ¥1,556,000 after its quarterly report disappointed investors.

Both the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index saw gains in Tokyo on Monday. The Nikkei added 0.7 percent to 15,456.81, while the Topix was up 0.8 percent to 1,572.01. Both domestic and export-focused sectors saw gains.

Not every sector was up, however. With chances of consolidation in the paper sector decreasing, Oji Paper and Hokuetsu Paper Mills were down on the day. Oji dropped 0.2 percent to ¥665, while Hokuetsu was 1.5 percent lower to ¥790.

The pharmaceuticals sector also saw losses. Astellas dropped 1.3 percent to ¥4,560. Chugai and Daiichi Sankyo fell by 1.9 percent each, with Chugai closing at ¥2,365 and Daiichi Sankyo ending the session at ¥3,150. Takeda was 2.4 percent lower to ¥7,400 on the news that a new cancer drug that it is developing has not shown the usefulness that had been hoped for.

The properties sector showed gains in anticipation of land prices having gone up when the National Tax Agency reports new data. Mitsubishi Estate added 1.9 percent to ¥2,375, while Mitsui Fudosan, Japan’s biggest mortgage lender, gained 2.1 percent to ¥2,435 and NTT Urban Development was 4.1 percent higher to ¥864,000.

Technology-related companies also saw advances on the day. Hitachi and Toshiba each gained 1.4 percent to ¥734 and ¥741 respectively. Elpida Memory added 2.2 percent to ¥4,590, while computer maker Fujitsu was up by 3.6 percent to ¥889.

Lower than expected profits reports from consumer finance companies sent Tokyo equities markets lower on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 was 0.8 percent lower to 14,884.07, while the Topix index was down by 0.9 percent to 1,520.44

Consumer finance was not the only sector with losses, however. The electronics sector was down, with NEC falling 0.2 percent to ¥578 and Matsushita Electric Industrial down 0.4 percent to ¥578 even though the two announced they were embarking on a joint venture to develop mobile phone software in an effort to cut costs. Sony dropped 0.6 percent to ¥4,910, while Sharp fell 1.4 percent to ¥1,865 even though it reported operating profits that were up 14 percent.

The high cost of raw materials sent tire maker Bridgestone down by 2.6 percent to ¥2,030.

In the consumer finance sector, Acom dropped 2.8 percent to ¥5,180. Takefuji was down 4.2 percent to ¥5,460, Promise was down 5.3 percent to ¥5,150, and Aiful was 7.6 percent lower to ¥4,230. Sanyo Shinpan was by far the biggest loser in the sector, with a decline of 14.6 percent to ¥4,510 after it said its quarterly earnings were down by 47 percent.

The paper and pulp sector was mixed, with Oji Paper up 1.4 percent to ¥672 but Hokuetsu Paper Mills 2.7 percent lower to ¥768. Hokuetsu is in the process of trying to repel a takeover attempt from Oji.

Equities markets in Tokyo were slightly lower on Monday on declines in the securities and steel sectors. Semiconductors were down as well, while electronics were mixed and paper and pulp saw increases during the day. The Nikkei 225 fell 0.2 percent to 14,794.5, while the Topix index was down 0.1 percent to 1,514.22.

The steel sector was especially hard hit. Japan Steel Works fell just 0.2 percent to ¥656, while Kobe Steel dropped 3 percent to ¥326 and JFE was down by 4.6 percent to ¥4,380. Tokyo Steel, hurt by a quarterly report that showed earnings down 42.6 percent in the quarter, declined by 17.1 percent to ¥1,945.

The semiconductor sector was hurt by a profit warning from computer maker Dell. Advantest fell 1.4 percent to ¥10,930, while Tokyo Electron dropped 3.8 percent to ¥7,120.

Among electronics companies, Sony was down 0.6 percent to ¥4,810 and NEC fell by 2.1 percent to ¥566. On the other hand, Matsushita Electric Industrial gained 2.7 percent to ¥2,245, while Sharp was up 4.4 percent to ¥1,836.

The securities sector saw losses after Goldman Sachs issued a reduced forecast for the sector as a whole in the wake of first-quarter earnings reports from the four largest brokerages in Japan. Nomura fell 0.3 percent to ¥2,015, while Mitsubishi UFJ Securities was down 1.5 percent to ¥1,273 and Daiwa Securities was 2.7 percent lower to ¥1,226.

Prospects for consolidation sent the paper and pulp sector higher after Oji Paper made an unsolicited offer for Hokuetsu Paper Mills. Hokuetsu, in an effort to fend off the bid, offered to sell 50 million new shares to Mitsubishi Paper Mills. The news sent Oji Paper 2.3 percent higher to ¥656, while Mitsubishi Paper Mills was up 9.8 percent to ¥224 and Hokuetsu added 15.8 percent to ¥735.

Tokyo equities markets made small gains on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 adding 0.6 percent to 14,833.01 and the Topix index advancing by 0.8 percent to 1,510.89. Meanwhile, the Mothers market, listing small and mid-cap stocks gained 4 percent to 1,376.86.

Domestic stocks did well after the most recent gross domestic product data was revised upward. Retail added 2 percent, while the real estate sector gained 2.1 percent and paper and pulp was up 3.2 percent.

Among retailers, Seven and I was up 1.4 percent to ¥3,700, while Aeon gained 3.2 percent to ¥2.445. In the real estate sector, Mitsui Fudosan advanced by 2 percent to ¥2,305 while its largest rival, Mitsubishi Estate, added 2.1 percent to ¥3.700.

The news that wholesale tissue paper prices will go up for the first time in three years worked to the advantage of the paper sector. Nippon Paper was up by 3 percent to ¥452,000. Oji Paper gained 5.3 percent to ¥611 when Mitsubishi UFJ Securities revised its recommendation upward.

Exporters also saw gains on the day. In the automobile manufacturing sector, Honda was up 0.7 percent to ¥7,030, while Toyota gained 0.9 percent to ¥5,770.

International sales have also helped the seafood sector. Nippon Suisan, for example, added 2.4 percent to ¥593.