Nomura Holdings, Inc.

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Japan's economy grew by an annualized 2.1% in Q1, surpassing forecasts, but faces challenges due to the Iran war's impact on energy supplies. Private consumption rose 0.3%, and net external demand contributed positively. Analysts predict potential contraction in Q2 as energy costs rise, affecting inflation and corporate profits. The Bank of Japan's interest rate hike expectations may shift depending on the severity of supply disruptions.

- Japan's economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.1% in the first quarter, exceeding the market's expected 1.7%.  
- This growth is now threatened by the energy impacts of the Iranian conflict, with analysts predicting a slowdown in future quarters.  
- Private consumption increased by 0.3%, while net external demand contributed 0.3 percentage points to growth, despite rising risks from oil price fluctuations and supply disruptions.

Businesstimes News

ISHRS MSCI Japan

CSOP NIKKEI225

FL2 CSOP NIKKEI

FI2 CSOP NIKKEI

Dai-ichi Life Holdings,Inc.

Thomson Reuters

Japan’s economy grows at solid pace in Q1, but Iran war set to upend momentum

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The Nikkei 225 Index has fallen for three consecutive days, reaching ¥60,910, its lowest since May. This decline is attributed to rising crude oil prices, with Brent at $113 and WTI at $110, following geopolitical tensions involving Iran. Additionally, Japanese government bond yields have surged, raising concerns about inflation and fiscal stability, as Japan's debt-to-GDP ratio stands at 250%. Analysts suggest the index may retest support at ¥59,462 before potentially rebounding.

Invezz

BlackRock, Inc.

Pro Ultrshrt Yen

AXIOS Sustainable Growth Acq

Top 2 reasons why the Nikkei 225 Index is crashing today

SFTBY

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Japanese equities surged to a record high, with the Nikkei 225 gaining 3,320 points or 5.6%, marking the largest point gain ever. The index reached an intraday high of 63,091 before closing at 62,833. Key stocks in AI and semiconductors saw significant increases, including SoftBank Group and Kioxia, which rose 18.4% and 19.2%, respectively. Other sectors also performed well, with notable gains in heavy machinery and financial stocks. The USD/JPY was quoted at 156.05.

AASTOCKS News

SoftBank

SoftBank Group Corp.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc.

Daiwa Securities Group, Inc.

Asset Management One Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.

SUMCO

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

Advantest Corp.

Disco Corporation

Lasertec Corp.

IBIDEN CO., LTD.

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.

Fujikura Ltd

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.

IHI Corporation

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company, Limited

Marubeni Corporation

Mitsui & Co.,Ltd

Sumitomo Corporation

INPEX CORPORATION

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.

Sanrio Company, Ltd.

Keyence Corporation

Tokyo Electron

Lasertec Corporation

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Mizuho Financial

FAST RETAIL-DRS

Fast Retailing

Keyence

Nikkei Surges 3,320 pts or 5.6%, Hits Record High with Largest Ever Point Gain

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The Nikkei 225 index closed down 632.54 points, or 1.06%, at 59,284.92 on Thursday, April 30. The South Korean KOSPI index closed down 93.03 points, or 1.39%, at 6,597.87 on Thursday, April 30. (Jinshi)

CoinLive

ChinaAMC Nomura N225 ETF(QDII)

Huaan MUFG N225 ETF(QDII)

ISHRS MSCI S Korea Capped

TRMSCIKOREA

Samsung Life Insurance Co., Ltd.

Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed lower.

2525

The Japanese stock market ended its two-day winning streak, with the Nikkei dropping 619.90 points (1.02%) to close at 59,917.46. This decline follows losses in technology stocks, despite gains in the automobile sector. Global market forecasts are weak due to rising oil prices and Middle East uncertainties. Wall Street's mixed performance added to the cautious sentiment, as traders await earnings reports from major tech companies. Japan is set to release key economic data today, including industrial production and retail sales figures.

nasdaq

Japan Agricultural Cooperatives Group

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Nissan Motor

Mazda Motor Corp.

Mazda Motor

Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota Motor

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda Motor

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial

Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

Mitsubishi Electric

Sony Group Corporation

Sony

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Hitachi,Ltd.

Hitachi

Dow Jones Industrial Average

Nasdaq

NASDAQ Composite Index

S&P 500

Alphabet

Alphabet - C

Amazon

Meta Platforms

Microsoft

Toyota

Japan Bourse May Extend Tuesday's Losses

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The Bank of Japan maintained its interest rate at 0.75%, but a 6-3 vote indicates increasing internal pressure to raise rates due to inflation risks from the Iran war. Three board members advocated for an immediate increase to 1.0%, leading to market speculation that a rate hike could occur as early as June if inflation continues to rise.

- The Bank of Japan maintained interest rates at 0.75%, but a 6-3 split among board members indicated growing internal pressure for a policy tightening.  
- The rise in energy costs and inflation risks due to the Iran war has led to increased market expectations for a potential rate hike to 1.0%.  
- Analysts suggest that the BOJ might implement this hike as early as June if inflationary pressures persist.

Nishikawa Keisoku Co., Ltd.

BOJ holds rates, but Iran war inflation pushes Japan toward hike

Geopolitics takes a back seat for now, as the Bank of Japan kicks off the week's central bank action and earnings season ramps up.

CNBC daily open: Hawkish hold from BOJ sets central bank stage

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The Japan stock market rebounded on Friday, with the Nikkei index rising 575.95 points or 0.97% to close at 59,716.18. This follows a three-day winning streak where it gained nearly 1,100 points. The outlook for Asian markets is cautiously optimistic due to easing oil prices and support from technology shares. Mixed performances were noted among financial and technology stocks, while automobile producers faced declines. The U.S. markets showed mixed results, with the NASDAQ gaining 1.63% and the Dow losing 0.16%.

Intel

Japan Bourse May Extend Friday's Gains

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The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 0.75% during its meeting on April 27-28, while signaling a potential rate hike in June. The BOJ plans to revise its fiscal 2026 growth forecast downward due to rising fuel costs and is likely to increase inflation projections significantly. Policymakers are concerned about second-round inflation risks as companies pass on higher costs to consumers. A hawkish tone is anticipated in the BOJ's communications, with many economists predicting a rate increase to 1.0% by the end of June.

Investinglive

Bank of Japan

Simplex Financial Holdings Co., Ltd.

Preview: BOJ expected to stay on hold next week but deliver hawkish signal on June move

On April 23, MFS Investment Management analyst Carl Ang indicated that the Bank of Japan is likely to raise its policy rate from 0.75% to 1% in June, with plans for further increases every six months until reaching 1.75%. He noted that Japan's consumer inflation is slightly below the 2% target, which supports the rationale for rate hikes. Additionally, the output gap has shifted from negative to positive, suggesting that Japan's economic activity is exceeding its potential.

Japan's Central Bank Expected to Raise Interest Rates, Analyst Says

Nomura Holdings, Inc.(1321.JP)