Nikkei Flat as Monetary Bas Rises in August at a Faster Pace

Mukesh Buch
02 Oct, 2015
New York City

Nikkei average in Tokyo closed nearly unchanged and rose 0.9% after a week of volatile trading. Seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose was unchanged in August at 3.4%. Monetary base in August rose more than expected in August.

[R]4:30 PM Tokyo – Nikkei average in Tokyo closed nearly unchanged and rose 0.9% after a week of volatile trading. Seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose was unchanged in August at 3.4%. Monetary base in August rose more than expected in August.[/R]

Stocks in Tokyo closed nearly unchanged after a week of volatile trading and for the week the Nikkei average increased 0.9%.

On the economic front, the monetary base in September jumped 35.1% to 332.19 trillion yen followed by 33.3% increase in August and the adjusted monetary base in the month surged 46.3% to 332.51 trillion yen, the Bank of Japan said.

The average of household spending in August jumped 2.9% to 291,156 yen after 0.2% drop in July and the average monthly income per household increased 2.2% to 475,369 yen.

But the average of consumption expenditures per household rose 3.4% to 317,195 yen, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Separately, the ministry said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was unchanged from the previous month at 3.4%.

The number of unemployed persons declined 2.6% to 2.25 million from a year ago month.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average edged up 2.71 to 17,725.13 and the broader Topix index added 2.18 to 1,444.92.

The yen strengthened to 119.99 against a dollar.

Stocks in Review

Aeon Co Ltd jumped 2.1% to 1,959 yen after the Nikkei newspaper reported supermarkets and convenience stores operator’s revenue for the first-half ending in August to soar 20% to 4 trillion yen and operating profit to jump 70% to 72 billion yen or $600 million.

ABC-Mart Inc advanced 3.5% to 7,040 yen after the Nikkei daily said retail stores operator’s sales for the first-half ending in August to increase 10% to 120 billion yen and group operating profit of about 24 billion yen or $198 million

For the year ending in February 2016, the retailer estimated sales to jump 7% to 229.5 billion yen and operating profit to increase 3% to 40.7 billion yen.

Osaka Organic Chemical Industry Ltd gained 3% to 650 yen after the chemical maker said reported net sales in the third-quarter ending in August rose 2.6% from a year ago to 17.82 billion yen.

Net income in the year soared 26.6% to 885 million yen compared to 699 million yen and earnings per share increased to 38.63 yen from 30.50 yen.

Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Holdings Inc rose 0.3% to 3,529 yen after the property and casualty insurance company plans to acquire Tokyo-based smaller rival Watami no Kaigo Co, a nursing care unit of pub and restaurant chain operator for about 21 billion yen.

Nomura Real Estate Master Fund, Inc was halted at 153,300 after the real estate developer first-half ending in August slipped 3.4% from a year ago to 10.41 billion yen.

Net income in the year declined 10.9% to 3.69 billion yen compared to 4.15 billion yen and earnings per share increased to 2,217 yen from 2,489 yen.

The company forecasted net sales for the fiscal 2016 to jump 2.2% to 16.50 billion yen while net income to increase 0.3% to 3.24 billion yen.