Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister

October 21, 2025 12:19 PM

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister on Tuesday, shattering the nation's glass ceiling and setting it up for a forceful turn to the right. An acolyte of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and an admirer of Britain's Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi received 237 votes in the lower house election to choose the next premier, topping the majority of the 465-seat chamber. Her victory marks a pivotal moment for a country where men still hold overwhelming sway...

Japan’s stocks zoom, yen slumps as Takaichi win dims BOJ hike bets

October 6, 2025 1:13 PM

Japan’s stocks zoom, yen slumps as Takaichi win dims BOJ hike bets

Japanese shares surged to a record high on Monday, while the yen and long-term bonds tumbled as Sanae Takaichi was all but confirmed to become the country's next premier, stoking bets on a revival in big spending and loose monetary policy. The Nikkei Index soared 4.75% to close at 47,944.76. It traded as high as 48,150.04, breaking through three psychologically key thousand-point barriers for the first time ever. The broader Topix gauge jumped 3.1%. The 30-year Japanese government bond (JGB)...

Asia stocks down, yen slump keeps markets on intervention alert

June 27, 2024 10:27 AM

Asia stocks down, yen slump keeps markets on intervention alert

Asian shares fell and bond yields spiked on nervousness about inflation on Thursday, while the yen's slide past 160-per-dollar had currency traders bracing for Japan to step in and steady it. The dollar made six-week highs on sterling and the kiwi and at 160.7 yen traded just shy of Thursday's 38-year peak. The jittery mood had frothy sectors of financial markets especially vulnerable and Nasdaq futures dropped 0.5%. Shares in bellwether chipmaker Micron Technology slid 8% in U.S. after-hours ...

Global Markets – European stocks fall as Nvidia slump hits tech sector

June 25, 2024 3:11 PM

Global Markets – European stocks fall as Nvidia slump hits tech sector

European stocks fell on Tuesday after a 7% drop in chipmaker Nvidia dragged down U.S. tech companies on Monday, in a sign of nervousness about the artificial intelligence boom. Stock markets remained close to record highs, however, as investors shifted into less flashy names. Bond yields cooled and Japan's yen stayed under pressure. Investors' attention is being pulled in multiple directions, with snap elections in France starting at the weekend; the first U.S. Presidential debate on Thursday;...

Asian stocks slide, yen wobbles ahead of BOJ verdict

June 14, 2024 9:35 AM

Asian stocks slide, yen wobbles ahead of BOJ verdict

Asian stocks fell on Friday as investors pondered the outlook for U.S. rates after the Federal Reserve tempered its rate-cut views even as inflation came in softer than expected, while the yen was shaky before the Bank of Japan's policy meeting. The dollar was hovering near a one-month high on the back of the hawkish tone from the Fed this week, while political uncertainty in Europe kept the euro under pressure. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 0.48% lower. Chines...

Asian stocks surge on tech boost; yen extends gains to cap wild week

May 3, 2024 10:45 AM

Asian stocks surge on tech boost; yen extends gains to cap wild week

Asian stocks rallied on Friday after Apple's record $110 billion share buyback plan lifted the tech sector, while the yen put more distance from recent 34-year lows to cap a tumultuous week that saw suspected interventions from Tokyo. With markets in Japan and mainland China closed on Friday, regional trading activity is likely to be subdued as traders look ahead to the U.S. nonfarm payrolls data later in the day. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.5% and was set...