Latest news with #Nikkei-225
Economic Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Asian stocks post modest gains, dollar edges down
For a Fed awaiting more clarity on the potential inflationary impact from tariffs, any pronounced deterioration in the labor market would likely lead to more pressure on officials to lower rates. Asian markets showed caution due to worries about President Trump's tariffs. Nikkei-225 in Japan experienced a dip. Trump threatened new tariffs on Japan, citing trade issues. The European Union is open to a tariff accord with exemptions. The US jobs report is expected soon. The Federal Reserve may consider rate cuts if the labor market weakens. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Asian shares opened cautiously and Japanese equities dipped on lingering concerns over the impact from President Donald Trump's tariff Nikkei-225 index fell 0.9% at the open as Trump threatened to impose a fresh tariff level on the Asian country. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index rose 0.2%. Contracts for the S&P 500 were flat after the index notched its best quarter since December 2023 and closed at a record high on Monday. Hong Kong has a public holiday Street's bulls drove stocks to all-time highs at the end of a solid quarter amid hopes the US is moving closer to reaching concrete deals with its top trading partners. Bets the Federal Reserve will resume rate cuts powered the best first-half stretch for Treasuries in five threatened to impose a fresh tariff level on Japan. The president's latest round of brinkmanship with Tokyo on Monday comes just over a week before a July 9 deadline for higher tariffs to restart for dozens of trading partners, including Japan. He cited what he said was the country's unwillingness to accept US rice Trump's trade deadline fast approaching, the European Union is willing to accept an accord that includes a 10% universal tariff on many of the bloc's exports, but seeks key exemptions. Trump's top economic adviser said the White House aims to finalize deals with partners after the July 4 days ahead of the US jobs report , bonds rose Monday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated it wouldn't make sense to ramp up sales of longer-term debt given where yields are, though he held out hope that rates across maturities will drop as inflation slows. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. projects a Fed cut in September as the inflationary effects of tariffs 'look a bit smaller' than June employment report, due on Thursday, given the July 4 holiday on Friday, is forecast to show growth in the workforce easing to about 110,000 new jobs from 139,000 the prior month, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The unemployment rate is seen nudging up to 4.3%.For a Fed awaiting more clarity on the potential inflationary impact from tariffs, any pronounced deterioration in the labor market would likely lead to more pressure on officials to lower rates.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Asian stocks post modest gains, dollar edges down
For a Fed awaiting more clarity on the potential inflationary impact from tariffs, any pronounced deterioration in the labor market would likely lead to more pressure on officials to lower rates. Asian markets showed caution due to worries about President Trump's tariffs. Nikkei-225 in Japan experienced a dip. Trump threatened new tariffs on Japan, citing trade issues. The European Union is open to a tariff accord with exemptions. The US jobs report is expected soon. The Federal Reserve may consider rate cuts if the labor market weakens. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Asian shares opened cautiously and Japanese equities dipped on lingering concerns over the impact from President Donald Trump's tariff Nikkei-225 index fell 0.9% at the open as Trump threatened to impose a fresh tariff level on the Asian country. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index rose 0.2%. Contracts for the S&P 500 were flat after the index notched its best quarter since December 2023 and closed at a record high on Monday. Hong Kong has a public holiday Street's bulls drove stocks to all-time highs at the end of a solid quarter amid hopes the US is moving closer to reaching concrete deals with its top trading partners. Bets the Federal Reserve will resume rate cuts powered the best first-half stretch for Treasuries in five threatened to impose a fresh tariff level on Japan. The president's latest round of brinkmanship with Tokyo on Monday comes just over a week before a July 9 deadline for higher tariffs to restart for dozens of trading partners, including Japan. He cited what he said was the country's unwillingness to accept US rice Trump's trade deadline fast approaching, the European Union is willing to accept an accord that includes a 10% universal tariff on many of the bloc's exports, but seeks key exemptions. Trump's top economic adviser said the White House aims to finalize deals with partners after the July 4 days ahead of the US jobs report , bonds rose Monday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated it wouldn't make sense to ramp up sales of longer-term debt given where yields are, though he held out hope that rates across maturities will drop as inflation slows. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. projects a Fed cut in September as the inflationary effects of tariffs 'look a bit smaller' than June employment report, due on Thursday, given the July 4 holiday on Friday, is forecast to show growth in the workforce easing to about 110,000 new jobs from 139,000 the prior month, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The unemployment rate is seen nudging up to 4.3%.For a Fed awaiting more clarity on the potential inflationary impact from tariffs, any pronounced deterioration in the labor market would likely lead to more pressure on officials to lower rates.
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Where Japanese women stand 40 years after Equal Employment Opportunity Law
TOKYO (Japan News/ANN) — It has been 40 years since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted. Since the enactment of the law, which was the fist step to eliminate gender discrimination in job opportunities, efforts have been made to promote the development of an environment in which women can work comfortably. The way women are perceived — from powerful to sweet — has been reflected in economic and social developments up to the present day. Career-track positions The law was enacted in 1985. That same year, the then Group of Five advanced nations signed the Plaza Accord, which was aimed at taking coordinated action to address the appreciation of the US dollar. The yen rapidly appreciated after that, and monetary easing and measures to expand domestic demand served as a catalyst for an unprecedented economic boom. What followed for the Japanese economy was an economic bubble, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 stock average climbing to a then record 38,915 yen ($282) by the end of 1989. Companies hired many new graduates and crawled over each other to lock in new recruits as quickly as they could. Women, who had previously been given supportive positions in the workplace, began to be offered promising career opportunities under the new law, putting them on track to secure even managerial posts. However, at the time it was enacted, the law required nothing more than for companies to make an effort to treat women equally as men in terms of employment, placement and promotion. Wearing power suits with large shoulder pads was popular at the time among career women who wanted to demonstrate their abilities and show their desire to have a meaningful career. "Gyaru" makeup In the early 1990s, the bubble economy collapsed, and Japan entered a long period of stagnation, later dubbed the "three lost decades." Affordable cosmetics became popular, and "gyaru" — a fashion subculture named after the Japanese pronunciation of the English word "gal" — enjoyed a boom even among working-age women. Even during the recession, an environment in which women could work comfortably steadily advanced. In 1989, a former female employee of a publishing company who claimed that she had suffered verbal sexual harassment filed a lawsuit against her boss and company, seeking damages for emotional distress and other harm. The court ruled that her male boss and the company were responsible for the harassment in what became known as the nation's first "sexual harassment lawsuit." That ruling came in 1992, when harassment was far from a widespread concept. In 1999, the law was revised to obligate employers to consider measures to prevent sexual harassment. The law also obliged employers not to discriminate against women in terms of hiring, placement and promotion. For a long time, a majority of households were made up of a husband who worked and a wife who was a full-time homemaker. However, in 1992, those households were eclipsed by two-income households for the first time. Since 1997, two-income households have been in the majority, and the gap between the two continues to expand. Focus on charms The economic doldrums continued. In 2003, the Nikkei stock average fell below 8,000 yen ($69.57) for the first time in 20 years. With the structural reform policies of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, it became easier for companies to employ temporary workers, leading to a sharp increase in the number of both men and women in non-regular employment. Working part-time used to be just one of the work options available to women, but after the structural reform policies, more and more women were unable to find full-time employment and had no choice but to work with unstable employment. In 2006, the word of the year was "Kakusa shakai" (unequal society), picked from among the new and popular expressions that year. In 2008, Japanese companies were affected by the "Lehman Shock," a global credit crunch triggered by the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, and social issues emerged such as unilateral termination of temporary employment contracts. Under the prolonged recession, there was a boom in "konkatsu" (marriage hunting), advocated by Prof. Masahiro Yamada of Chuo University and journalist Toko Shirakawa. Hair and makeup styles that emphasized the charm and attractiveness of women became popular. 3 arrows, red lipstick The economy began to recover after the launch of Abenomics, an economic policy promoted by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his return to power in 2012. The economic policies of Abenomics were based on three "arrows" — aggressive monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and structural reform of the economy — and aimed to navigate a way out of a deflationary period. In 2013, the government put an active role for women in society at the center of its growth strategy. In 2016, it passed the Law on Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life, which obliges major companies to set numerical targets for women in managerial posts and to compile and publicize action plans for fostering the active participation and advancement of women. Investors and consumers paid attention to whether women were being fairly evaluated at the workplace and allowed to demonstrate their abilities there. Reflecting economic recovery and the support that society was providing to women, red lips and other heavy makeup reminiscent of the bubble period became popular. In 1985, the wage for women was 59.6 compared to 100 for men, but that figure rose to beyond 70 in the 2010s, according to a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. Narrowing the gap, however, has not been easy. COVID-19, individuality In 2018, the Law on Promotion of Gender Equality in the Political Field was enacted in order to facilitate women's participation in politics. The COVID-19 pandemic, which started in 2020, caused a contraction in economic activity, leading many people in non-regular employment, regardless of their gender, to find themselves in a difficult situation. The economy gradually recovered, and in 2024 the benchmark Nikkei stock Average topped the 40,000 yen ($264.40) mark for the first time. Although it fell sharply afterward, it has since remained relatively firm. After a long period of pandemic-induced mask wearing, women have come to place more importance on their individuality. "Personal color analysis," for instance, a method that helps people determine which colors best suit their skin tone, and other novel ideas are gaining recognition. The way people do their job has changed, with more employees working from home and other places besides corporate offices. Japan is heading to a future where both men and women can lead their lives as they please. From high heels to sneakers There have been significant changes around women's feet in the past 40 years. During the bubble economy years, career women chose high heels. "Pumps with 7.5-centimeter heels were overwhelmingly popular," said Miyako Sekimoto, a fashion director of Matsuya Ginza department store, looking back on those years. When the economy cooled in the 1990s, women's heels lowered to about 5.5 centimeters. The preferred color was black, and pumps with a simple shape and pointy toes were popular. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, shoes with low heels and flat shoes became part of women's preferences, as many women became aware that they might have to evacuate or go home on foot in emergencies. In 2019, the so-called "#KuToo" movement occurred, in which women demanded that companies and society not force them to wear pumps. The movement derived from the "Me Too" movement and was a pun on the Japanese words "kutsu" (shoe) and "kutsuu" (pain). Today, casual loafers and sneakers are widespread as well.
The Star
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Stocks rise on trade talks, Fed rate-cut hopes
NEW YORK: Global stocks advanced for a fourth consecutive day - on track for the best winning streak in more than two months - on signs of progress in trade negotiations and after Federal Reserve officials indicated they would be open to cutting rates earlier than anticipated. Shares in South Korea rose 0.8 per cent as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US may reach an "agreement of understanding' on trade as soon as next week. The Nikkei-225 rose as much as 1.8 per cent as the yen declined on positive comments from the US-Japan trade talks. A gauge of the dollar edged up while Treasuries held gains from Thursday (April 24). Google parent Alphabet Inc. rose 4.8 per cent on strong earnings, sending futures contracts for the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.3 per cent. Technology shares advanced, led by gains in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Appetite for risk is returning as the White House strikes a conciliatory tone, boosting investor optimism the US will clinch crucial trade deals with top economic partners. In a sign that markets may be stabilising after the jolt from Donald Trump's century-high levies, a gauge of Asian stocks on Friday erased all its losses since April 2 - the day the US president announced his reciprocal tariffs. "Investors are feeling a little more chipper in Asia, taking their cue from the recovery in US markets,' said Frederic Neumann, chief Asia economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong. "At the end of the week, there are hopes that trade tensions may begin to thaw at the edges, with prospects for deals improving.' Trump said his administration was talking with China on trade, while Beijing denied the existence of negotiations and demanded the US revoke all unilateral tariffs. Dozens of nations have appealed to Washington for relief from higher tariffs that have been suspended for 90 days to provide time for talks. "They had a meeting this morning,' Trump said Thursday about China. "It doesn't matter who 'they' is. We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we've been meeting with China.' The US-South Korea discussions were "very successful,' according to Bessent. That follows the US making "significant progress' toward a bilateral trade deal with India. Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said specific currency levels or targets didn't come up in his talks Thursday with Bessent, and the two sides agreed that foreign-exchange rates should be determined by the market. The yen fell to trade near 143 against the dollar. "We are into the first or second act of a theatre of negotiation between the United States and their various trading partners,' said John Woods, Asia chief investment officer at Lombard Odier Hong Kong Ltd. "And my sense is once we get to close to that third act, maybe in the next couple of quarters or so, clarity towards the likely implications of the tariff story will become a lot clearer.' Still, uncertainty over the Trump administration's trade policy is making it difficult for the corporate world to forecast how the year will play out. Several analysts are souring on the profit outlook due to the risk of an economic slowdown, with the US benchmark's earnings revisions breadth - or estimated upgrades versus downgrades - approaching downside extremes. American Airlines Group Inc. withdrew its full-year earnings outlook, joining a growing number of companies hedging their bets on the broader economy. Southwest Airlines Co.'s chief said his industry is already in a recession. PepsiCo Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. lowered their forecasts. Also lifting the mood of the market Friday was comments from two Fed officials about cutting interest rates. Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he'd support rate cuts in the event aggressive tariff levels hurt the jobs market, speaking in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack told CNBC the central bank could move on rates as early as June if it has clear evidence of the economy's direction. One key thing to watch is the yield on the ten-year US Treasury, said Kelvin Tay, a regional CIO at UBS Global Wealth Management. It's key for the Trump administration to keep the yields to 4.5 per cent and below as anything above that level is when markets will react negatively, he said. The yield on the ten-year bond was little changed at 4.31 per cent on Friday. "The combination of the dollar weakening, treasury yields going up and equity markets coming off will likely force the hand of the US administration,' he said. - Bloomberg
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Where Japanese Women Stand 40 Years After Equal Employment Opportunity Law; Narrowing Gap Has Not Been Easy
The Yomiuri Shimbun It has been 40 years since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted. Since the enactment of the law, which was the fist step to eliminate gender discrimination in job opportunities, efforts have been made to promote the development of an environment in which women can work comfortably. The way women are perceived — from powerful to sweet — has been reflected in economic and social developments up to the present day. Career-track positions The law was enacted in 1985. That same year, the then Group of Five advanced nations signed the Plaza Accord, which was aimed at taking coordinated action to address the appreciation of the U.S. dollar. The yen rapidly appreciated after that, and monetary easing and measures to expand domestic demand served as a catalyst for an unprecedented economic boom. What followed for the Japanese economy was an economic bubble, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 stock average climbing to a then record ¥38,915 by the end of 1989. Companies hired many new graduates and crawled over each other to lock in new recruits as quickly as they could. Women, who had previously been given supportive positions in the workplace, began to be offered promising career opportunities under the new law, putting them on track to secure even managerial posts. However, at the time it was enacted, the law required nothing more than for companies to make an effort to treat women equally as men in terms of employment, placement and promotion. Wearing power suits with large shoulder pads was popular at the time among career women who wanted to demonstrate their abilities and show their desire to have a meaningful career. 'Gyaru' makeup In the early 1990s, the bubble economy collapsed, and Japan entered a long period of stagnation, later dubbed the 'three lost decades.' Affordable cosmetics became popular, and 'gyaru' — a fashion subculture named after the Japanese pronunciation of the English word 'gal' — enjoyed a boom even among working-age women. Even during the recession, an environment in which women could work comfortably steadily advanced. The Yomiuri Shimbun In 1989, a former female employee of a publishing company who claimed that she had suffered verbal sexual harassment filed a lawsuit against her boss and company, seeking damages for emotional distress and other harm. The court ruled that her male boss and the company were responsible for the harassment in what became known as the nation's first 'sexual harassment lawsuit.' That ruling came in 1992, when harassment was far from a widespread concept. In 1999, the law was revised to obligate employers to consider measures to prevent sexual harassment. The law also obliged employers not to discriminate against women in terms of hiring, placement and promotion. For a long time, a majority of households were made up of a husband who worked and a wife who was a full-time homemaker. However, in 1992, those households were eclipsed by two-income households for the first time. Since 1997, two-income households have been in the majority, and the gap between the two continues to expand. Focus on charms The economic doldrums continued. In 2003, the Nikkei stock average fell below ¥8,000 for the first time in 20 years. With the structural reform policies of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, it became easier for companies to employ temporary workers, leading to a sharp increase in the number of both men and women in non-regular employment. Working part-time used to be just one of the work options available to women, but after the structural reform policies, more and more women were unable to find full-time employment and had no choice but to work with unstable employment. In 2006, the word of the year was 'Kakusa shakai' (unequal society), picked from among the new and popular expressions that year. In 2008, Japanese companies were affected by the 'Lehman Shock,' a global credit crunch triggered by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers, and social issues emerged such as unilateral termination of temporary employment contracts. Under the prolonged recession, there was a boom in 'konkatsu' (marriage hunting), advocated by Prof. Masahiro Yamada of Chuo University and journalist Toko Shirakawa. Hair and makeup styles that emphasized the charm and attractiveness of women became popular. 3 arrows, red lipstick The economy began to recover after the launch of Abenomics, an economic policy promoted by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his return to power in 2012. The economic policies of Abenomics were based on three 'arrows' — aggressive monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and structural reform of the economy — and aimed to navigate a way out of a deflationary period. In 2013, the government put an active role for women in society at the center of its growth strategy. In 2016, it passed the Law on Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life, which obliges major companies to set numerical targets for women in managerial posts and to compile and publicize action plans for fostering the active participation and advancement of women. The Yomiuri Shimbun Investors and consumers paid attention to whether women were being fairly evaluated at the workplace and allowed to demonstrate their abilities there. Reflecting economic recovery and the support that society was providing to women, red lips and other heavy makeup reminiscent of the bubble period became popular. In 1985, the wage for women was 59.6 compared to 100 for men, but that figure rose to beyond 70 in the 2010s, according to a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. Narrowing the gap, however, has not been easy. COVID-19, individuality In 2018, the Law on Promotion of Gender Equality in the Political Field was enacted in order to facilitate women's participation in politics. The COVID-19 pandemic, which started in 2020, caused a contraction in economic activity, leading many people in non-regular employment, regardless of their gender, to find themselves in a difficult situation. The economy gradually recovered, and in 2024 the benchmark Nikkei stock Average topped the ¥40,000 mark for the first time. Although it fell sharply afterward, it has since remained relatively firm. After a long period of pandemic-induced mask wearing, women have come to place more importance on their individuality. 'Personal color analysis,' for instance, a method that helps people determine which colors best suit their skin tone, and other novel ideas are gaining recognition. The way people do their job has changed, with more employees working from home and other places besides corporate offices. Japan is heading to a future where both men and women can lead their lives as they please. *** From high heels to sneakers There have been significant changes around women's feet in the past 40 years. During the bubble economy years, career women chose high heels. 'Pumps with 7.5-centimeter heels were overwhelmingly popular,' said Miyako Sekimoto, a fashion director of Matsuya Ginza department store, looking back on those years. When the economy cooled in the 1990s, women's heels lowered to about 5.5 centimeters. The preferred color was black, and pumps with a simple shape and pointy toes were popular. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, shoes with low heels and flat shoes became part of women's preferences, as many women became aware that they might have to evacuate or go home on foot in emergencies. In 2019, the so-called '#KuToo' movement occurred, in which women demanded that companies and society not force them to wear pumps. The movement derived from the 'Me Too' movement and was a pun on the Japanese words 'kutsu' (shoe) and 'kutsuu' (pain). Today, casual loafers and sneakers are widespread as well. 'Women have become able to wear shoes that suit them,' Sekimoto said. — By Kie Noguchi and Mako Nagaiwa
