Energy stocks rose after a rebound in crude oil prices. Nippon Oil edged up 6.20% and Inpex Holdings climbed 4.50%.

Fukuoka Financial led decliners in the Nikkei 225 index shares with a drop of 4.34% followed by losses in Dainippon Sumitomo of 3.42%, in Okuma Corp. of 2.49%, in Kao Corp. of 2.17%, and Marui Corp of 2.13%.

Carmakers also fell as Nomura Holdings cut its recommendation of Toyota Motor Corp from “buy” to “neutral” and lowered its rating for Honda Motor Corp and Fuji Heavy Industries to “reduce” from “neutral”.

Morgan Stanley also cut its profit target for carmakers as well on rising expectation that the demand in the U.S. will slow. The International Monetary Fund yesterday cut its forecast for U.S. growth this year to 0.5% from 1.5% predicted in January.

Company news Toshiba

Bloomberg news reported that Toshiba’s spokesman Keisuke Oomori is in talks to supply two AP-1000 reactors one each to Scana Corp. and Southern Co, adding that it hopes to win at least 16 orders to build AP-1000 nuclear reactors in the U.S.

The stock closed up 6%.