News On Japan

Yen weakness may support Japan equities

Jul 30 (seekingalpha.com) - Can a weakening yen (JPY) continue to bolster Japanese equity markets? If historical relationships remain intact, the answer may be yes.

The JPY has steadily depreciated against the dollar (USD) this year, losing more than 15% as the worst-performing G10 currency.

This isn’t unprecedented, however, considering the headwinds driving the yen lower versus the greenback. The U.S., much like the rest of the global economy, is wrestling with the highest inflation in four decades, rapidly forcing the Federal Reserve into monetary tightening. Speculation about where the rate hike cycle may ultimately conclude over the next 12-24 months is driving the USD higher. Despite some of the highest readings in inflation in the last decade, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has remained committed to its accommodative policies of negative short-term interest rates and yield curve control. As a result of ever-widening interest rate differentials between the U.S. and Japan, the JPY has weakened dramatically. That's why it is important to Boosting Online Safety When Betting Online in Japan and How to Choose the Best Betting App in Japan: A Comprehensive Guide

The JPY has historically been negatively correlated with Japanese equity markets, owing to the orientation of Japan’s economy toward exporters. Among G10 currencies, it’s also the most negatively correlated to its domestic equity market over the long term, even surpassing the USD on a rolling 10-year basis. Although correlations have increased over the last several months, they remain firmly in negative territory on a rolling 60-month basis. ...continue reading

News On Japan
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The Nikkei Stock Average rebounded sharply on May 21st after falling below 60,000 at the previous day's close, briefly rising more than 2,200 points as hopes grew for progress in talks toward ending the fighting between the United States and Iran, while SoftBank Group gave the market a major boost following reports that OpenAI was preparing to file for an initial public offering.

Japan’s imports of crude oil from the Middle East plunged 67.2% in April from a year earlier, as the impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz began to ripple through the country’s trade and energy supply chains.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Toshiba announced on May 20th that they had jointly developed a new stock index utilizing quantum technology.

TOTO, a major Japanese manufacturer of housing and bathroom equipment, reopened its showroom in London, England, on May 20th after undergoing its first major renovation in 16 years.

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

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As conflict in the Middle East drags on, shortages of naphtha — a key raw material used in a wide range of petroleum-based products — are beginning to affect even Japan's traditional cheap snacks, with manufacturers facing steep rises in packaging and material costs while trying to keep products affordable for children.