Nikkei 225 Up 1.3% in Bounce From Thursday Sell-Off

The Nikkei 225 opened evenly on Friday and gained ground, finishing up 1.3% as traders bargain-hunted after Thursday's sell-off.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 336.19 to 26,739.03, as gaining issues outnumbered losers 143 to 74.

Leading the upside were watchmaker Seiko Epson (SEKEY, 6724), up 8.8%, followed by shipping line Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (KAKKF, 9107), up 7.5%, and then Japan Steel Works (JPSWY, 5631), up 7.5%.

On the downside were Tokyo Gas (TKGSY, 9531), off 2.8%, and then Odakyu Electric Railway (ODERF, 9007), off 2.6%.

The Nikkei 225 is off 7.1% year-to-date.

In economic news, Japan's headline consumer price index in April was up 2.5% year-over-year, while the "core" CPI, that excludes certain foods items, was up 2.1% in the same period. The "core-core" index, that additionally excludes certain energy costs, was up 0.8% in April, on year.