2017.02.2004:58:00UTC+00Nikkei Rallies Amid Low Trading Volumes on U.S. Holiday

Japanese stocks posted small gains on Monday amid a choppy trading session with distinctly low volumes as investors went on a standby mode with the U.S. markets closed for a national holiday.

The Nikkei share index closed up 0.1% to 19,251.08 after slipping to negative territory earlier in the session. The benchmark index fell as much as 0.6% to 19, 115 during the day, its lowest level in almost two weeks, due to the weaker yen.

Japanese institutional Investors who have set their sights on the end of the financial year on March 31 also opted to lock in their profits, causing the drop. Uncertainty regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign trade and tax policies is also giving investors additional incentives to cash out when they can.

With only 1.497 billion shares being traded, the broader Topix advanced 0.2% at 1, 547. 01. This is the lowest recorded volume of shares exchanged since January 17. Turnover came in at 1.7 trillion yen, the lowest since December 20. The JPX-Nikkei Index 400 rose 0.2% to close at 13, 875. 93.

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