Japanese Market Slightly Lower

(RTTNews) - The Japanese stock market is slightly lower in choppy trading on Wednesday, extending the losses in the previous session, despite the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight. The Nikkei 225 is staying below the 42,400 level, with a mixed performance across all sectors.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index is down 14.26 or 0.03 percent at 42,380.14, after hitting a low of 42,270.18 and a high of 42,476.09 earlier. Japanese stocks ended significantly lower on Tuesday.

Market heavyweight SoftBank Group is gaining almost 1 percent, while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing is edging down 0.4 percent. Among automakers, Honda is edging down 0.3 percent and Toyota is also edging down 0.4 percent.

In the tech space, Advantest is gaining more than 1 percent, while Tokyo Electron is edging down 0.2 percent and Screen Holdings is losing almost 2 percent.

In the banking sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial is edging down 0.4 percent and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial is losing almost 1 percent, while Mizuho Financial is edging up 0.4 percent.

Among the major exporters, Mitsubishi Electric is losing almost 1 percent, while Sony and Canon are edging down 0.2 to 0.3 percent each. Panasonic is adding almost 1 percent.

Among other major losers, BANDAI NAMCO is losing almost 3 percent.

Conversely, Nikon is surging almost 21 percent, Chugai Pharmaceutical is advancing almost 5 percent, Sumitomo Chemical is surging almost 5 percent, Yokohama Rubber is gaining almost 4 percent and JGC Holdings is adding more than 1 percent.

In the currency market, the U.S. dollar is trading in the higher 147 yen-range on Wednesday.

On the Wall Street, stocks showed a lack of direction throughout much of the trading session on Tuesday but managed to end the day mostly higher. The major averages all moved back to the upside after ending the previous session in negative territory.

The major averages finished the day just off their highs of the session. The Nasdaq advanced 94.98 points or 0.4 percent to 21,544.27, the S&P 500 climbed 26.62 points or 0.4 percent to 6,465.94 and the Dow rose 135.60 points or 0.3 percent at 45,418.07.

Meanwhile, the major European markets moved to the downside on the day. While the French CAC 40 Index plunged 1.7 percent, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index slid by 0.6 percent and the German DAX Index fell by 0.5 percent.

Crude oil prices moved sharply lower on Tuesday, reflecting concerns about erratic U.S. trade policies. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery tumbled $1.55 or 2.4 percent to $63.25 a barrel.