Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Japanese department store shares see declines

by Brian Turner

With foreign buyers selling more than they bought for the fourth consecutive session, Tokyo equities markets declined on Tuesday even though news from the corporate world tended toward the positive. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.4 percent to 15,859.45, while the Topix index was down 0.2 percent to 1,612.76.
The real estate sector was down on [...]

Monday, May 29, 2006

Overnight rates cause concern in Japan

by Brian Turner

In an attempt to keep overnight interest rates in check, the Bank of Japan put ¥1,500 billion ($13.5 billion) into money markets after rates again challenged the 0.1 percent ceiling set by the Bank’s current policy of keeping interest rates at zero for all practical purposes. The move, which came after the Bank put [...]

Nikkei, Karachi down; rest of Asia advances on day

by Brian Turner

Most Asian equities markets saw gains on Monday, with Tokyo again being the exception as the Topix index was slightly higher but the Nikkei was down by 55.08 points on the day.
In South Korea, the Kospi Index added 0.5 percent to 1,329.22 as foreign buyers purchased more than they sold for the first time in [...]

Friday, May 26, 2006

Tokyo markets up sharply

by Brian Turner

The Tokyo equities markets saw gains on Friday as both domestic and export-focused sectors were up on the day. The markets had seen substantial declines earlier in the week. The Nikkei 225 added 1.8 percent Friday to 15,970.76, while the Topix index was also 1.8 percent higher to 1,613.78.
Banks were up 2.5 percent [...]

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Investors continue to avoid risk in Asian markets

by Brian Turner

Asian equities markets were down again on Thursday as investors continued to look for less risky places to put their money. The exception was the BSE 30 Index in India, which added 0.88 percent to 10,666.32 after a rally late in the day.
In Thailand the SET Index fell 1.8 percent to 701.03, it’s lowest [...]

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Japan markets decline as other Asian markets recover

by Brian Turner

Asian equities markets, especially in emerging economies, saw gains on Tuesday after Monday’s losses. Bargain-hunting and higher commodities prices helped bring about the advances.
In Mumbai, the Sensex index added 3.3 percent to 10,822.78 after a 4.2 percent decline Monday. In Jakarta, the JSX index was up 1.3 percent to 1,326.26, while in Singapore [...]

Monday, May 22, 2006

Asian markets lower on investor fears

by Brian Turner

Equities markets in Asia saw substantial declines on Monday as investors interested in avoiding risks exited emerging markets. Declines were widespread throughout the region.
In Mumbai, the market fell 10 percent during the day, causing trade to be suspended for an hour. Once trade resumed, the market recovered some but still closed 4.2 percent [...]

Friday, May 19, 2006

Japanese shipping gains on UBS upgrade

by Brian Turner

The news that the Japanese economy grew more than had been expected in the first quarter of the year sent Tokyo equities markets higher on Friday. The Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.4 percent on the day to close at 16,155.45 and 1,638.57 respectively.
The retail sector added 1.6 percent as a [...]

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Steel boosts Tokyo markets

by Brian Turner

In Tokyo on Wednesday the equities markets were up for the first time in over a week, with the Nikkei 225 up 0.9 percent to 16,307.67 and the Topix index gaining 0.7 percent to 1,657.07. Commodities stocks that were higher after recent declines were key to the day’s gains, even as sectors focused on [...]

Monday, May 15, 2006

Strong yen hurts Tokyo equities markets

by Brian Turner

Tokyo equities markets were down on Monday as export-dependent sectors continued to be hurt by the yen’s strength in relation to the US dollar. The Nikkei 225 declined by 0.7 percent to 16,486.91, while the Topix index lost 0.4 percent to 1,681.81. Also contributing to the day’s declines were sharp drops on Wall [...]

Friday, May 12, 2006

Carmakers, electornics lead Tokyo lower

by Brian Turner

In Tokyo on Friday, the Nikkei 225 was down 1.5 percent to 16,601.78, for its fourth losing day in a row. Meanwhile, the Topix index dropped 1.4 percent to 1,688.18. Many of the declines came in sectors that depend on exports as the US dollar continued its decline in the relation to the [...]

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Tokyo markets lower before Fed decision

by Brian Turner

Equities markets in Tokyo saw declines on Wednesday amid a round of profit-taking as investors awaited the decision on interest rates from the US Federal Reserve. The Nikkei 225 dropped 1.4 percent to 16,951.93, while the Topix index lost 1.3 percent to 1,725.06. Export-dependent shares were especially hard-hit by the weakening dollar.
Camera makers [...]

Monday, May 8, 2006

Domestic shares lead Tokyo markets higher

by Brian Turner

The Tokyo equities markets were up on Monday after last week’s break for the Golden Week holiday. The Nikkei 225 added 0.8 percent to 17,291.67 and the Topix index was up 1 percent to 1,755.03. Most of the gains were in domestic sectors, as banks were up 1.9 percent as a whole, while [...]

Monday, May 1, 2006

Utilities, pharmaceuticals up in Tokyo

by Brian Turner

The Tokyo equities indexes saw little movement on Monday, while some individual share prices showed distinct movement after a number of companies reported earnings results on Friday. The Nikkei added 0.1 percent by the close of trade on Monday to 16,925.71. The Topix index was close to unchanged at 1,717.17.
The real estate sector [...]