Japan Financial News

By Ankur Banerjee

dollar held steady on the yuan on Tuesday as markets digested a welter of policy statements out of China, while a rebound in Tokyo inflation seemed to take Japan a step closer to the end of negative interest rates. There was more action in bitcoin, which gained 1.2% to $68,341 after surging more than 7% on Monday. The blockchain asset has benefited from flows into cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, most notably in the United States.

stocks stumbled on Tuesday, dragging Asian peers with them, as investors showed their disappointment at Beijing's plans to support the economy as its week-long annual session of parliament, the National People's Congress, got underway. Equities around the rest of the region were also on the back foot following a retreat from record highs on Wall Street overnight on signs the U.S. Federal Reserve is in no hurry to cut interest rates. U.S. stock futures also pointed lower.

By Yuka Obayashi and Ritsuko Shimizu

Blue Lock Chapter 254 is set to be released globally on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, via Kodansha's K Manga platform. Japanese readers can access it on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 12 am JST. The chapter will be available on the K Manga website or app, providing readers worldwide with the continuation of the gripping soccer narrative.

Classroom of the Elite Season 3 Episode 10 is set to captivate viewers on Wednesday, March 7, 2024, airing at 12:00 am JST on AT-X in Japan. International audiences can catch the episode on March 6, around 7:00 am PT, with release times varying by timezone. Crunchyroll provides both subbed and dubbed versions, ensuring a comprehensive viewing experience. The anime is also available on platforms like Netflix and DisneyPlus, with new episodes released weekly on Wednesdays.

On March 4, ​​Hong Kong’s financial watchdog, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), issued a public notice about the cryptocurrency exchange BitForex over alleged fraudulent dealings.

Bitcoin rallied to a two-year high on Monday, breaking above US$65,000 as a wave of money carried it within striking distance of record levels.

U.S. dollar edged down against the euro on Monday, at the start of an action-packed week for markets with Britain's budget, a European Central Bank meeting, U.S. jobs data and important political moments in both China and the U.S. all due. Eyes were also on Bitcoin, which rose to a more than two-year peak above $65,000 after a quiet weekend, pushed higher in recent weeks by big flows into cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, most notably in the United States.

ALSO READ: Wall Street week ahead: Fed chair Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony, jobs report in focus In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 edged down 0.5 per cent at 7,643.21 points. France’s CAC 40 lost 0.1 per cent at 7,929.63.

(Reuters) — Canadian miner Frontier Lithium said on Monday it is forming a joint venture with Japanese trading house Mitsubishi to help advance lithium mining and processing in Ontario.

Mint. “Not only are we a major supplier of critical minerals, we're also home to a buzzing ecosystem that is developing lithium and is looking at the future of lithium-ion technology for batteries and vanadium redox flow batteries, which will be a very key opportunity to grow and address the demands—be it for vehicles or for storage," she added. While Japan, Korea and European nations have been Australia’s traditional partners, Choudhury sees an increasing opportunity for Indian firms.

By Nell Mackenzie, Carolina Mandl and Summer Zhen

By Nell Mackenzie and Wayne Cole

consumer landscape is shifting in various ways which keeps retailers on toes. Recently released Household Consumption Expenditure Survey data showed Indians are spending less on food, particularly staples like rice and wheat, and more on discretionary items such as processed food, as well as durables like televisions and fridges. Already a premiumisation trend is sweeping across categories for the past few years. Charting out shifts in India's retail sector, a joint study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Retailers Association of India (RAI) brings good news as well as bad news for Indian retailers. The good news is Indian retailers have a vast business growth opportunity to capture. India continues to be a bright spot among top global economies with a robust GDP growth of 7% in 2023. It is projected to overtake Germany & Japan to claim the 3rd spot by 2030. Private consumption at the same time remains strong. India retail is expected to reach $2 trillion in the next 10 years and presents a large opportunity for retailers, says the report titled 'Unlocking the $2Tn retail opportunity in the next decade'.

Ola Electric has emerged as the leading patent publisher in the country for the 2022-23 period. According to data from Intellectual Property India, Ola Electric has published 205 patents in the EV and EV-related technologies space, surpassing its competitors. TVS follows in second place with 156 published patents, while Suzuki, Honda, and BYD hold third, fourth, and fifth place respectively, with 78, 77, and 58 published patents. Ola Electric aims to raise Rs 5,500 crore through its IPO by issuing new shares. The company's draft papers filed with Sebi show that some existing shareholders will also be selling over 9.5 crore shares. Out of the funds raised, Ola Electric plans to allocate Rs 1,600 crore for research and development (R&D), highlighting the importance of innovation in its business model. With R&D centers in India, the UK, and the US, Ola Electric is dedicated to designing and developing new EV products and core components. Its R&D efforts focus on battery technology, software related to EVs, vehicle safety and security, controllers, motors and transmissions, as well as vehicle body components, artificial intelligence, and other related technologies.

Investing.com-- Most Asian stocks fell slightly on Monday, weighed chiefly by caution ahead of China’s national congress for 2024, although a sustained rally in technology stocks saw Japanese markets make new highs.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Bitcoin scaled a two-year high on Monday, breaking $64,000 as a wave of money carried it within striking distance of record levels.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for April delivery rose $1.71 to $79.97 per barrel Friday

Japan's Nikkei 225 share benchmark has topped 40,000 for the first time as strong demand for technology shares keeps pushing the index higher

By Tetsushi Kajimoto