Japan Stocks mixed on trade, growth worries

Headline equities of the Japan share market closed mixed on Thursday, 24 January 2019, as concerns about a protracted U.S. government shutdown, global economy and international trade frictions offset strong earnings from Texas Instruments. Among TSE sub indices, land transportation, food, and electric power and gas issues comprised notable decliners, while securities, metal product, and bank issues led those that gained the most. At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei index fell 19.09 points, or 0.1%, at 20,574.63. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange added 5.57 points, or 0.36%, to 1,552.60.

Shares of chip equipment makers rallied after better than expected Texas Instruments Inc profit estimates, easing investor fears sparked by warnings of a slowing smartphone market from Apple Inc. Advantest Corp surged 6.2% while Tokyo Electron jumped 4.5% and Screen Holdings gained 5.9%.

Shares of Kabu.com Securities jumped 20.9%, hitting limit-high, after the news that telecom firm KDDI Corp was considering investing in Kabu.com. KDDI shares ended down 0.4%.

Shares linked to the city of Nagasaki got a boost after Pope Francis unveiled a plan to visit Japan, sparking expectations his visit would be a big publicity boost and help attract tourists to the city.

ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan manufacturing sector fell into stagnation in December with a manufacturing PMI score of 50.0, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed on Thursday. That's down from 52.6 in December and it lands right on the line that separates expansion from contraction. Individually, exports tumbled at the fastest pace in two and a half years, while production scaled back for the first time since July 2016. Consumer confident fell to its lowest level in more than six years. New orders, new export orders, backlogs of work, stocks of purchases, stocks if finished goods and quantity of purchases all decreased, while employment, output prices and input prices increased.

CURRENCY NEWS: Japanese yen appreciated against greenback and other major currencies on Thursday, as uncertainties over trade and the global economy. The dollar was quoted at 109.49-50 yen compared with 109.57-67 yen in New York and 109.61-63 yen on Wednesday in Tokyo. The euro, meanwhile, fetched 124.67-68 yen against 124.69-79 yen in New York and 124.56-60 yen in late Wednesday afternoon trade in Tokyo.

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