Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average, Topix Fall; Toyota and Canon Lead Drop

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average
fell 171.71, or 1 percent, to 17,112.10 at 9:02 a.m. in Tokyo.
The broader Topix index dropped 16.48, or 1 percent, to
1,683.23.

Toyota Motor Corp. and Canon Inc. led the declines.


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Japan Stocks May Drop on U.S. Earnings, Election Concern; Komatsu May Fall

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese shares may decline, paced by
companies that rely on the U.S. market, after Caterpillar Inc.
said its profit dropped on lower North American sales. Exporters
such as Honda Motor Co. and Komatsu Ltd. may fall.

Investors may also refrain from betting heavily on stocks
before the Upper House election, which will be held on July 29.
The Nikkei newspaper reported yesterday Japan's ruling coalition
may lose its majority in the election, citing its own poll.


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Stocks race up, dollar weakens on rate outlook

(Reuters) - Japanese government bonds tracked a rise in U.S. Treasuries, although gains were limited as investors waited on an auction of 10-year notes and eyed a likely Bank of Japan interest rate hike as early as August.




Tokyo's Nikkei average rose 0.3 percent by the midsession, although traders said volumes were low. MSCI's broadest index of shares elsewhere in Asia hit an all-time high earlier and by 0214 GMT was up 1 percent.


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Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average, Topix Rise; Toyota, Komatsu Lead Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average
rose 52.70, or 0.3 percent, to 18,199.00 at 9:02 a.m. in Tokyo.
The broader Topix index added 3.87, or 0.2 percent, to
1784.23.

Toyota Motor Corp. and Komatsu Ltd. led the advances.


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Japan Stocks Drop on U.S. Demand Concern; Canon, Honda Fall; Toshiba Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks dropped, with the
Nikkei 225 Stock Average falling for a fourth day, extending the
longest streak of declines since early March.

Canon Inc. and Honda Motor Co. led losses on concern demand
for their products will falter, curbing profit, amid signs the
U.S. housing market is worsening and after the yen strengthened.


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JGB futures tumble to 10-mth low on BOJ rate worry

(Reuters) - JGB gains in early trade were met with a wave of selling by
speculative accounts as well as dealers who rushed to dump long
positions as market players have been rattled by the possibility
of a BOJ rate rise as soon as August.




A rebound in the Nikkei share average into positive
territory after early losses also soured sentiment and gave
investors more reason to sell JGBs, driving two-year yields up
further to a decade-high 1.030 percent.


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New Zealand Dollar Trades 1985 High, Australia's Gains Versus Yen on Yield

(Bloomberg) -- The New Zealand dollar rose to the
highest since it was floated in 1985 and Australia's dollar
gained to a five-week high on speculation investors bought the
nations' higher-yielding assets with money from Japanese loans.

The currencies reached a more than 15-year high against the
yen as U.S. and Japanese stock markets gained, encouraging
investors to put on so-called carry trades. The Nikkei 225 Stock
Average advanced for a fourth day and equity markets in South
Korea and Taiwan also climbed, even as Chinese shares slumped.


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Japan Stocks Gain on Stronger-Than-Expected U.S. Growth; Kobe Steel Surges

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese shares advanced after
reports showed employment and manufacturing growth in the U.S.,
Japan's largest overseas market, expanded more than expected.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's No. 1 carmaker by market
value, added 1.2 percent. Kobe Steel Ltd. jumped 6.1 percent
after the Nikkei newspaper reported the company is expanding
output of aluminum auto parts as demand increases.


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Japan's Topix Index Rises; Mizuho Financial, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Lead Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Topix index rose 5.45, or 0.3
percent, to 1729.83 at 9:54 a.m. in Tokyo after falling as much
as 0.3 percent. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average was little changed
at 17,585.70.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.
led the advance.


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Japanese Shares Rise After Mizuho Forecasts Record Profit; Nintendo Climbs

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks rose for a third day,
with the Nikkei 225 Stock Average reaching the highest since
February. Banks led indexes higher after Mizuho Financial Group
Inc. forecast a record profit for this financial year.

Mizuho jumped by the most in more than a year. Sumitomo
Mitsui Financial Group Inc., which forecast on May 21 profits
will climb this year, surged 4.5 percent, adding to a 5.7
percent gain yesterday.


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