A large and powerful typhoon approached a remote chain of islands in Japan's southwest on Friday, prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides and flooding in what could be the region's most destructive storm in years.
With indications that President Donald Trump will support lifting the ban on selling F-35 Lightning II stealth strike fighters to Turkey, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has predictably expressed opposition. While a delivery of the fifth-generation combat aircraft to Turkey likely isn't imminent even if swiftly approved, Russia, meanwhile, seems to have made progress in manufacturing the first batch of 4.5-generation Su-35 Flanker fighters Iran ordered years ago.
Reports that Japan's Ministry of Finance is abandoning its custom of telegraphing intervention risks and may instead enter the FX market to surprise market participants, has traders on edge.
The Nikkei 225 Index has sold off recently as investors book profits following its strong rally to the all-time high of 72,781 in June. It was trading at 69,190 on Thursday, up by 37% this year.
The Nikkei 225 Index has slumped over the past two consecutive days, reaching a low of 68,863 as fears of a technology bubble intensify. It has slipped by 5.5% from its high this week, with key technology companies in the red.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reaffirmed that officials will step in as needed to support the yen.
On a recent episode of The Peter Schiff Show Podcast , longtime gold bull and dollar bear Peter Schiff laid out a sovereign debt scenario for Japan that he believes is a dress rehearsal for the United States.
Japan's power industry welcomed the government's roadmap for the future replacement of nuclear reactors as a key step towards securing the workforce and supply chains needed to sustain the sector, but its top lobbyist on Friday called for greater policy support to encourage investment.
The yen strengthened against other G-10 and Asian currencies amid risks of potential FX intervention by Japanese authorities.
Japanese lenders may be forced to suspend services such as ATMs and online banking if sophisticated AI models end up posing a serious threat to the banking system, said the chair of the country's banking lobby.
Japan's May exports jump double-digit, led by AI-driven chip demand and auto shipments, putting Japan-focused ETFs in focus.
Japan's crude oil import price hit a record high in yen terms in May, surpassing April levels, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday, driven by a surge in crude prices resulting from supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.