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Nikkei 225

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Asia

Japanese Shares Slide as US-Iran Contradictions Dim Hopes for War Breakthrough

Japanese equities declined on Thursday, mirroring losses on Wall Street, following contradictory statements from the US and Iran regarding potential negotiations to end the ongoing conflict.The Nikkei 225 slipped 228.7 points or 0.4% to open at 64,770.76.White House officials dismissed an Iranian media report suggesting peace talks were making progress, while President Donald Trump stated he was "not satisfied" with the discussions, dampening hopes for a quick resolution, according to various reports.The US also rejected claims of a draft interim deal that would have restored normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz within a month, with Trump insisting that no single country should control the vital waterway.Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, in a prepared speech delivered at a Bank of Japan conference in Tokyo, predicted inflation would ease later this year as tariff effects and elevated energy costs diminish, though he cautioned that upside inflationary risks persist, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.Jefferson also said he is closely monitoring whether higher energy prices stemming from the Iran war are beginning to weigh on economic activity.

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan to Help Philippines Boost Oil Reserves as Hormuz Crisis Threatens Supply

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are expected to finalize an agreement for Japan to assist the Philippines in bolstering its oil reserves in an upcoming summit, Nikkei reported on Thursday.Beginning as early as June, specialists from international bodies and Japanese institutions, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, alongside private firms like Chiyoda (TYO:6366) and major trading houses, will travel to the Philippines, the news daily said.Collaborating with the Philippine Department of Energy and the state-owned oil company, these experts plan to deliver a concrete strategy by late 2026, the publication said.Amid concerns over Middle Eastern crude access due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz from the Iran war, and given the Philippines' 50-60 day reserve and over 90% reliance on Middle East imports, Japan, with over 200 days of reserves and five decades of experience, is being looked to by Asian nations for guidance on reserve systems and operations, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225TYO:6366
International

Asian Markets Mixed at Wednesday's Close Amid Tech Stock Rally, Uncertain US-Iran Peace Deal

Asian markets were mixed at Wednesday's close as Wall Street's technology rally overnight matched ongoing uncertainty over a potential US-Iran peace deal.Hong Kong stocks fell sharply on Wednesday as elevated oil prices and uncertainty over the durability of the US-Iran ceasefire weighed on sentiment.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 3.32 points, marginally increasing to 64,999.41 at Wednesday's close.Leading the upside was SHIFT with a 6.1% gain, while bottom performers include SoftBank Group, which lost 7.3% on the day.In regional news, Bloomberg News reported that Japan's 40-year government bonds attracted greater demand compared with its 12-month average as investors flocked to higher yields. Wednesday's sale saw the bid-to-cover ratio reaching 2.70, greater than the 2.54 at the last auction, the report said.Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.1%, or 271.22 points, to close at 25,328.23. The Hang Seng TECH Index was down 0.8%.Top movers include Contemporary Amperex Technology, with a 6.4% increase, while CSPC Pharmaceutical Group fell by 5.4% after the session.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite declined by 1.3% or 51.65 points, to 4,093.73.In economic news, Chinese industrial profits jumped 24.7% year over year in April, rebounding to another record high during the month, led by technology-related goods, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.For other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 2.3%; the Taiwan TWSE advanced by 1.7%; the Australian ASX 200 was up 0.7%; the Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.8%, and the Thai Set inclined 1.1%.MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index was up 0.7%.

Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite
Treasury

Market Chatter: Demand for Japan's 40-Year Government Bonds Rises on Increased Yields

Japan's 40-year government bonds attracted greater demand compared to its 12-month average as investors flocked to higher yields, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.Wednesday's sale saw the bid-to-cover ratio reaching 2.70, greater than the 2.54 at the last auction and the 2.47 average for the last 12 months, the report said.Bond yields hit 3.84% against 3.6% in the previous sale and the highest yield estimate of 3.85% in a Bloomberg survey, according to the report.The results point to a "solid 40-year auction" but are "by no means optimistic," amid a decline in bid amount by more than 200 billion yen against a 100 billion yen drop in the issuance amount, the report cited BNP Paribas Asset Management senior bond strategist Ryutaro Kimura as saying.The results came despite higher oil prices due to further developments in the Middle East war, while moves for a supplementary budget without a rise in bond issuance have narrowed bond supply worries, according to the report.The 40-year yield reached a peak of 4.355% earlier in May before dropping to about 4.095%, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan's Spot Power Price Rises Amid Supply Constraints, Higher Temperatures

Japan's spot power price increased 2.4% from the previous day to 22.36 yen per kilowatt-hour on Wednesday, its highest since April 9, Bloomberg News reported.The price increase stemmed from an increase in demand due to forecasts of warmer-than-usual weather as well as narrower fuel supplies due to the Middle East war, the report said.Among Japan's areas, the power rate hit 23.29 yen per kilowatt-hour in Tohoku and 24.39 yen in Tokyo, according to the report.The temperature in Tokyo could hit 31 degrees Celsius on Friday, significantly higher than normal, with the conditions expected to linger through late next week, the report cited weather agency Visalia as saying.In response, the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators requested that TEPCO Power Grid carry out changes in maintenance outage times for Friday, the report said.Japanese utilities have also adopted more coal power generation amid limited LNG supplies due to the Middle East conflict, with levels in the Kansai region reaching their peak since March on Tuesday, according to the report.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Japan Automakers to Further Lag in Electrification Amid Hybrid Focus, Lack of Policy Push, S&P Says

Japan's automakers will further lag global competitors in electrification, S&P Global Ratings said in a Wednesday release.The country's vehicle producers have responded to the rising demand for low-carbon vehicles by offering hybrids, but this is unlikely to make them competitive with foreign peers, S&P said.The strategy will also fail to anchor Japan's long-term decarbonization efforts, while the country's policy conditions do not encourage automakers to accelerate their shift to full electrification, the rating agency said.Japan's policies have focused on incentivizing demand, with no decisive incentives for the producers, unlike other markets such as South Korea and Europe where both sides are being prioritized, S&P said.S&P considers Japan's battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid adoption as among the laggards in G-7 countries.The country's auto sector decarbonization mainly stems from fuel efficiency rather than electrification, with above 95% of electrified auto sales still accounting for internal combustion engines, S&P said.

Nikkei 225
Asia

Japanese Shares Nearly Flat After Historic 66,000 Morning Breakout

Japanese stocks pared a historic morning rally, sparked by overnight gains in U.S. technology shares, to finish almost entirely flat on Wednesday, as late-session profit-taking erased a major tech-driven breakout.The Nikkei 225 closed virtually unchanged, up just 3.32 points to finish at 64,999.41.Chip-related stocks in Japan spearheaded the morning sentiment, with heavyweights Advantest (TYO:6857) and Tokyo Electron (TYO:8035) both surging more than 5% intraday before trimming gains by the closing bell.On the domestic front, the yen's real effective exchange rate has dropped to its lowest level since the 1970s, severely eroding Japan's external purchasing power as persistent trade deficits and volatile oil import costs compound structural selling pressure, Nikkei reported Wednesday, citing the Brookings Institution's Robin Brooks.Meanwhile, on the corporate side, Japanese machinery manufacturer Nabtesco (TYO:6268) plans to begin mass production of fully electric power steering systems for large commercial vehicles in 2027, Nikkei reported Wednesday.Murata Manufacturing (TYO:6981) declared a year-end dividend of 35 yen per share for fiscal year 2025, matching earlier forecasts and higher than the 30 yen per share paid a year ago.

Nikkei 225TYO:6268TYO:6857TYO:6981TYO:8035
Asia

Market Chatter: Dampened Aluminum Supply Amid Middle East War to Squeeze Japan's Auto Industry

Japan's auto industry will feel the weight of constrained supplies of aluminum and related alloy products due to the Middle East war through 2027, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.Aluminum prices skyrocketed following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and have remained above prewar levels, with benchmark aluminum futures in London priced at more than $3,600 per metric ton, the report said.Iranian strikes on key smelters and input shortages for production facilities have also impacted output, which could lead to a loss of more than 3 million tons from the market in 2026, the report cited Wood Mackenzie senior research manager Uday Patel as saying.Analysts expect the aluminum market to recover only after 2028, the report said.Japan is the most reliant on the Middle East for aluminum and related alloys among the five largest importers of the metal, the report cited 2024 data from the UN Comtrade database as saying.Premiums paid by Japanese companies in addition to the LME spot price for aluminum increased to $350 to $353 per ton for the April to June quarter, from $195 in the past quarter, according to the report.The beverage sector is the largest aluminum consumer in Japan, while small and medium-sized companies in the auto and construction industries are also dependent on Middle East-sourced ones, the report cited a representative of the Japan Aluminum Association as saying.The auto industry has been carrying out efforts to counter the supply constraints, including changing procurement across multiple routes, the report quoted Koji Sato, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, as saying.Cost pressure is also a main concern for major auto companies, with Mitsubishi Motors (TYO:7211), Toyota Motor (TYO:7203), and Nissan Motor (TYO:7201) all expecting hits in their earnings due to higher material costs, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225TYO:7201TYO:7203TYO:7211
Asia

Japanese Stocks Rally on US-Iran Peace Deal Hopes Despite Ongoing Gulf Strikes

Japanese stocks rose at the open on Wednesday, driven by expectations that the US and Iran will sign a peace deal even as military strikes continue in the Persian Gulf.The Nikkei 225 jumped 781.8 points, or 1.2%, to open at 65,777.87.US President Donald Trump said ceasefire extension and Strait of Hormuz reopening talks are advancing.However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that any agreement would likely take several more days to finalize, according to various reports.Meanwhile, commercial shipping through the Strait gained modest momentum over the past day, with at least two non-Iranian supertankers leaving the Persian Gulf, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.This marks the first time in a week that four million barrels of unsanctioned crude have been observed crossing the waterway, with vessels departing in clusters followed by lighter flows in subsequent days, the newswire said.

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Yen's Real Effective Rate Hits Record Low

The yen's real-term strength has dropped to its lowest since the 1970s, hurting Japan's external purchasing power as trade deficits and rising oil prices add to structural selling pressure, Nikkei reported Wednesday, citing the Brookings Institution's Robin Brooks.Over the weekend, Brooks posted on X that the Japanese yen has dropped below the Turkish lira in real effective terms, making it now the world's weakest currency, the news daily said.Brooks referred to the real effective exchange rate, which measures the yen's overall strength against multiple currencies by adjusting for price changes and trade volumes, the publication said.This rate increases when a country's inflation outpaces others and decreases when it lags behind, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan Plans 3 Trillion Yen Extra Budget to Counter Energy Costs Amid Iran Crisis

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government will draft a supplementary budget of over 3 trillion yen for fiscal 2026 to counter rising energy prices from prolonged Middle East tensions, the Mainichi reported on Monday.She said the draft budget would likely go to parliament as early as next week, along with a previously announced 500 billion yen reserve measure to cut household utility bills by about 5,000 yen from July to September, the news daily reported.This reassurance follows market fears over Japan's strained finances and rising inflation, which have driven 10-year bond yields to near three-decade highs, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan's Lower House Passes Revised Personal Data Rules for AI Development

Japan's House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday revising the nation's personal data protection law, aiming to relax restrictions on using individual information to foster domestic AI development and deployment, The Mainichi reported on Tuesday.The new law makes it easier for companies to access and use personal data, with violators facing fines, and no longer needed for AI training or statistical analysis when individuals remain unidentifiable, the news agency said.This means firms can collect publicly available information from social media and other platforms without permission, and can also share corporate-held data with other companies, the publication said.Currently, consent is generally needed to obtain sensitive details like medical histories or criminal records, but with AI development reliant on vast amounts of online data, securing individual approval has proven unworkable, the report said.To ensure proper data handling, the revised law introduces penalties, including fines equivalent to any profits gained by individuals or entities that improperly obtain or use personal data belonging to more than 1,000 people, it said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan to Launch Trade Talks with Mercosur as It Seeks New Energy Sources and Auto Export Markets

Japan plans to start trade talks with South American bloc Mercosur, aiming to secure alternative oil and mineral supplies while reducing auto tariffs in a growing market, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the mid-June G7 summit, with plans to also engage other Mercosur members, the publication said.The bloc - comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia - has nearly 300 million people and a GDP exceeding $3 trillion, roughly 75% of ASEAN's, the news daily said.Japan has free trade deals with ASEAN, Australia, and the EU, but not with Mercosur, leaving ample room for growth, as fiscal 2025 exports to the bloc were only 0.8% of Japan's global total and imports 1.3%, it said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan Allocates 513.5 Billion Yen in Reserve Funds to Resume Summer Energy Bill Subsidies

The Japanese government decided to release 513.5 billion yen from this fiscal year's reserve funds to restart subsidies for energy bills over the summer, aiming to cushion the economic blow from the Middle East conflict, the Mainichi reported on Tuesday, citing Minister Ryosei Akazawa.The subsidies will apply to electricity and gas bills from July to September, when air conditioning demand rises, cutting costs for an average household by roughly 5,000 yen, with officials pledging to keep bills lower than last summer's levels, the news daily said.Akazawa, Japan's economy, trade and industry minister, said the focus was on easing the burden in August, the peak month for electricity use, while also promoting energy-saving tips for home appliances and cars, the publication said.The plan provides 3.5 yen per kilowatt-hour for electricity in July and September and 4.5 yen in August, and for gas, 14 yen per cubic meter in July and September and 18 yen in August, drawing from the 1 trillion yen reserve fund in the initial fiscal 2026 budget, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
International

Market Chatter: Japan's May Crude Imports Set to Recover as Refiners Find Alternative Routes

Japan's May crude oil imports are forecast to reach roughly 1.7 million barrels per day, about 75% of the year-ago level, as refiners boost alternative supplies while the Strait of Hormuz stays largely closed, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.According to Bloomberg's vessel-tracking data up to May 19, this figure is expected to surpass the government's earlier forecast, driven mainly by independently arranged shipments from the U.S. and Saudi Arabia via the Red Sea, the news wire said.Some cargoes destined for Japan could still be diverted, it said.On May 12, the Japanese government projected alternative supplies from outside Hormuz and from the U.S. would reach about 1.4 million barrels per day in May, plus an extra 70,000 barrels a day from vessels that passed through the strait on April 29, the publication said.Authorities had intended to cover any deficit by tapping into national reserves, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225
International

Japan Business Conditions Keep Steady in March, Revised Index Shows

Business conditions in Japan showed a modest improvement in March, according to the revised coincident index as reported by the country's Cabinet Office on Tuesday.The coincident index, which tracks the current state of the country's economy, stood at 116.4 in March, slightly up from 116.2 in February.The coincident index had pointed to "halting to fall" conditions from May 2024 through February 2026, before turning to "signaling a possible turning point" in March 2026.Meanwhile, the leading economic index for gauging the economic outlook inched up to 114 in March from 113.2 in February.

Nikkei 225
Asia Markets

Major Asian Stock Markets Fall Amid Renewed Middle East Tensions

Major Asian stock markets closed lower Tuesday as new US military strikes on Iran dampened optimism over a possible peace deal and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 closed down 162.10 points, or 0.3%, at 64,996.09.Top gainers included SoftBank Group, which jumped nearly 11%, and Taiyo Yuden, with a 7.9% increase. Among the bottom performers are Archion and Chugai Pharmaceutical, falling by 8.7% and 6.5% respectively.In economic news, Japan slipped behind China to become the world's third largest creditor nation last year even as it set a new all-time record for its tally of overseas assets, Bloomberg News reported, citing finance ministry data.Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 6.58 points, closing with a slight decline to 25,599.45. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 1.6% on the day.Leading the upside was Lenovo Group, up 16%, while WH Group lost 5.1%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.2, or 7.2 points, to finish Tuesday's trade at 4,145.37.On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 2.6%; the Taiwan TWSE declined 0.3%; the Australian ASX 200 fell by 0.4%; and the Singapore Straits Times Index was down 0.8%.MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index advanced by 0.2%.

Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite
Asia

Japanese Shares Pare Monday's Gains to Close in Red After Fresh Strikes by US in Iran

After a record-breaking session on Monday, Japanese shares saw weak trade on Tuesday to close in the red as fresh strikes by the US military in Iran dampened optimism over a possible peace deal.The Nikkei 225 closed down 162.10 points or 0.3% at 64,996.09.The US forces attacked missile launch sites and mine-laying vessels in southern Iran, calling them "self-defense" strikes.In response, a senior spokesperson for Iran's Armed Forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, said any new aggression against Iran will be met with a "far more severe" response that extends beyond the region, news reports said.Amid the escalation of the conflict, investor sentiment was also high due to the rebound in global oil prices, as Brent crude rose back to $98 a barrel.On the domestic front, in a move aimed at easing market anxieties over the nation's finances, the Japanese government will fund its extra budget without increasing bond issuance on a calendar basis, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, citing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.Another Bloomberg News report on Tuesday quoted finance ministry data to show that Japan slipped behind China to be the world's third-largest creditor nation in 2025, despite posting a record high in its overseas assets.Also, the Nikkei reported on Tuesday that Japan's small and midsize enterprises are struggling with severe shortages of materials like naphtha due to the prolonged conflict in Iran, revealing a growing strain on their operations.On the corporate side, Mitsubishi Electric (TYO:6503) and Chiba Institute of Technology have entered into a three-year agreement to collaborate on the development of native physical AI technologies.Japanese engineering firm Chiyoda's (TYO:6366) was up nearly 4% on Tuesday after it was set to restart work on a liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar, a joint project with France's Technip Energies, Nikkei Asia reported Tuesday.

Nikkei 225TYO:6366TYO:6503
Asia

Japanese Stocks Open Flat After US Strikes on Iranian Targets Amid Ceasefire Talks

Japanese stocks opened flat on Tuesday after the U.S. military conducted strikes in southern Iran amid negotiations on a potential deal to end the three-month-old war.The Nikkei 225 gained marginally by 89.1 points to open at 65,247.24.This followed reports of U.S. military action in southern Iran targeting missile sites and boats laying mines, which occurred while diplomatic efforts continued over a possible U.S. deal to end the three-month conflict.According to Reuters, the strikes were described by the U.S. military as defensive, with Central Command stating they were intended to safeguard troops from Iranian threats.The resurgence of hostilities in the Persian Gulf underscores the instability of the current U.S.-Iran truce, especially as hopes had been growing for an extended pause in fighting and the restoration of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Nikkei 225
Asia

Market Chatter: Japan Falls to World's Third Largest Creditor in 2025

Japan slipped behind China to be the world's third-largest creditor nation in 2025, despite posting a record high in its overseas assets, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, citing the finance ministry data.Japan's net external assets reached an all-time high of 561.8 trillion yen or $3.5 trillion, but China's grew even faster to 636.3 trillion yen, while Germany retained the top spot with 675.5 trillion yen, the news agency reported.The Finance Ministry said Germany and China's stronger positions stemmed from larger trade-driven current account surpluses, while Japan's net asset growth was restrained by a rise in foreign-held domestic assets, fueled by a 26% Nikkei 225 rally to over 50,000, the publication said.Japan's overseas assets rose 8.5% to roughly 1,806 trillion yen, driven by increased business investment in the U.S. and Switzerland across finance, insurance, and transport equipment, while liabilities climbed 10.5% to 1,244 trillion yen, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Nikkei 225

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