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.

In Tokyo on Tuesday the equities markets were mixed, with the Nikkei225 down 0.2 percent to 15,855.26 while the Topix added 0. Percent to 2,555.11. The Mothers market of small and mid-cap stocks gained 1.5 percent to 1,118.55.

Export stocks were generally lower. In the automobile manufacturing sector, Toyota fell0.7 percent to ¥6,830 while Honda dropped 2.5 percent to ¥3,940. The electronics sector also saw losses. Sanyo Electric was 1.2 percent lower to ¥168 on the announcement that it will see losses for the third year in a row, while Sony dropped 1.7 percent to ¥3,970.

The real estate sector added 1.4 percent as a whole, with Sumitomo Realty & Development gaining 1.5 percent to ¥3,480. In the telecommunications sector, meanwhile, Softbank was up 2.4 percent to ¥2,370. Still, not all domestic sectors saw positive movement. The retail sector dropped 0.6 percent, with Aeon down 0.8 percent to ¥2,660.

In Tokyo on Monday equities markets saw gains, especially in domestically-focused stocks, as the Nikkei 225 added 1 percent to 15,885.38 and the Topix index ended the session 1 percent higher as well, at 1,553.01.

Export-focused stocks did not have as good a day of it. In the electronics sector, Sony dropped 0.7 percent to ¥4,570 after it said that eight of its best-selling models of digital cameras were defective, becoming unable to take pictures when exposed to heat and humidity. Sanyo, meanwhile, fell 5.6 percent to ¥170 as it announced another 2,200 employee layoffs and said it would end the fiscal year with losses for the third year in a row on declining mobile phone sales both in the US and domestically.

Automobile manufacturers saw declines as well. Toyota was 0.2 percent lower to ¥6,880, while Honda Motor was down 0.5 percent to ¥4,040.

Some of the domestic stocks that saw gains on the session were helped by broker upgrades. Fixed-line telecommunications company NTT added 2.3 percent to ¥578,000 on an increased target share price from Morgan Stanley. All Nippon Airways was 3.2 percent higher to ¥423 on an upgrade from Nikko Citigroup, which cited strong demand for international flights. Pharmaceutical company Eisai gained 3.3 percent to ¥6,240 on both a ratings upgrade and a raised target share price from UBS.

Investor worries about the US economy helped send the Tokyo equities markets significantly lower on Monday. The Nikkei 225 was 2.3 percent lower to 15,725.94, while the Topix index fell 2.5 percent to 1,533.94. The Mothers index of small and mid-cap stocks declined even further, dropping 6.2 percent to 1,022.54. Another possible reason for the declines were remarks from the head of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, who said that share price declines recently are due to an upcoming end to tax breaks on Japanese shares.

Export-focused sectors were lower in the face of bad economic news from the United States, including a drop in housing starts in October. In the automobile manufacturing sector, Honda Motor was 2.6 percent lower to ¥4,100. In the semiconductors sector, Advantest fell 4.1 percent to ¥5,870. Among electronics companies, Sanyo Electric dropped 12.7 percent to ¥179 on rumors that it could see a losing full-year report.

With crude oil prices still dropping, Inpex Holdings was 3.4 percent lower to ¥902,000.

The banking sector saw losses on concerns that lending might have slowed down. Mitsubishi UFJ fell 2.8 percent to ¥1,380,000, while Mizuho Financial was 3.1 percent lower to ¥823,000.

The prospect of higher interest rates in the United States sent the Tokyo equities markets lower on Friday, but declines were limited by gains in the real estate sector. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.1 percent to 15,124.04, while the Topix index declined by 0.2 percent to 1,545.57.

Export-focused sectors were affected by concerns about the US economy, with the automobile manufacturing and consumer electronics sectors both lower. Among carmakers, Honda dropped 1.2 percent to ¥7,280 and Toyota was down 1.4 percent to ¥5,790. Meanwhile, among electronics companies, Sanyo Electric fell 3.2 percent to ¥243 after Finnish handset maker Nokia cancelled a joint venture with Sanyo before the project had even gotten underway.

Consumer finance company Takefuji dropped 0.9 percent to ¥6,810 after news reports that a committee of Japan’s ruling party has agreed to rules on lending that will lower the maximum interest rate borrowers can be charged.

The real estate sector added 1.7 percent as a whole, helped by data showing that rents in Japan’s largest cities are going up. Mitsui Fudosan added 3.1 percent to ¥2,355.

Also defying the general trend of losses was chemicals manufacturer Showa Denko which added 6.3 percent to ¥487 after it said it was increasing its recurring profit forecast for the full year by 6.5 percent.

The Tokyo equities markets were significantly higher on Thursday after new data showed that exports were up substantially in May. The Nikkei 225 added 3.4 percent to 15,135.69, while the Topix index was up 2.9 percent to 1,549.12. The gains came even though some are calling for the resignation of the governor of the Bank of Japan after he invested in a fund created by shareholder activist Yoshiaki Murakami, who was recently put under arrest.

Shares in companies dependent on commodities were up, with Mitsui Mining and Smelting adding 5.8 percent to ¥675 and Sumitomo Metal Mining rising by 6.3 percent to ¥1,352.

Electronics-related companies were up substantially as well. Both printer and camera maker Canon and consumer electronics and entertainment giant Sony added 3.6 percent on the day, to ¥8,000 and ¥4,940 respectively. Sharp gained 4.5 percent to ¥1,767, while Sanyo Electric was up 4.6 percent to ¥251 and Kyocera rose by the same percentage to ¥8,940. Tokyo Electron advanced by 5.9 percent to ¥7,760. Casio Computer added 7.2 percent to ¥2,030.

The securities sector, meanwhile, was up by 4.8 percent as a whole. Nomura gained 4.7 percent to ¥2,135, while Mitsubishi UFJ Securities was up 5 percent to ¥1,459. Daiwa Securities was up 5.1 percent to ¥1,459. Nikko Cordial advanced by 5.9 percent to ¥1,543.

The news that the Japanese economy grew more than had been expected in the first quarter of the year sent Tokyo equities markets higher on Friday. The Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.4 percent on the day to close at 16,155.45 and 1,638.57 respectively.

The retail sector added 1.6 percent as a whole, with Seven and I gaining 1.2 percent to ¥4,120. Another sector strongly affectd by domestic issues, securities, also gained on the day. The sector as a whole added 2 percent, as Nomura was up by 1.3 percent to ¥2,335 and Daiwa Securities gained 3.3 percent to ¥1,423.

Shipping companies saw gains on upgrades from UBS. Mitsui OSK was up 3.3 percent to ¥806, Kawasaki Kisen gained 4.4 percent to ¥717, and Nippon Yusen added 4.7 percent to ¥730.

Among losers on the day was the construction sector, done in by disappointing earnings forecasts. Shimizu dropped 2.8 percent to ¥697, while Kajima was down 2.1 percent to ¥592 and Taisei declined by 1.3 percent to ¥460.

In the electronics sector, meanwhile, Sanyo Electric dropped 2.2 percent to ¥271 on extensive restructuring costs that led to a significant loss in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

Tokyo equities markets hit new 4-year highs on Wednesday as the Nikkei 225 gained 1 percent to 13,435.91 and the Topix index rose an even larger 1.8 percent to 1,401.47.

Investors were in a buying mood as they look forward to the release on Monday of the Bank of Japan’s Tankan survey of business sentiment, which is expected to show an increase of confidence among manufacturers. Blue chip stocks and exporters saw gains on the day.

Printer and copy machine maker Canon and NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s top mobile phone operator, each gained 1 percent to ¥5,970 and ¥206,000.

Automobile manufacturer Toyota was up 3.2 percent to ¥5,120, while in the banking sector, MTFG rose 9.5 percent to ¥1,380,000.

Elsewhere Hanshin Electric Railway ended the day 10.6 percent higher at ¥1,045 on confirmation that MAC Asset Management had bought a 27 percent stake in the railroad.

On the losing side, Sony fell 2.1 percent to ¥3,790 when Intel and Microsoft said they preferred a DVD standard by Toshiba rather than behind Sony’s competing standard.

Consumer electronics company Sanyo Electric was down as well, by 2 percent to ¥301 as it announced a timetable for job cuts was well as that it would leave the DVD player and recorder and VCR business.