刚刚！跌900点，大跳水！

Market Overview - The Japanese stock market opened lower and experienced significant declines, with the Nikkei 225 index dropping over 900 points and falling below the 40,000 mark, representing a decline of more than 2% [1][2] - The Japanese yen also saw a sharp decline against the US dollar, while the 5-year Japanese government bond yield fell by 9 basis points to 0.99% [1] Banking Sector Impact - The banking sector faced a collective downturn, with the Tokyo Stock Exchange Bank Index dropping over 4% [1][2] - Notable declines in individual bank stocks included Mizuho Financial Group down nearly 5%, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Chiba Bank, and Fukuoka Financial all down over 4%, and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial down 3.90% [2] Economic Policy and Inflation Outlook - The Bank of Japan (BOJ) maintained its policy rate at 0.5%, marking the fourth consecutive meeting without changes since the rate was raised earlier this year [3] - The BOJ revised its core CPI inflation forecast for fiscal years 2025 to 2027, increasing the expected inflation rate from 2.2% to 2.7% for 2025, influenced by rising food prices [3] - BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated that the domestic inflation rate is strengthening, reducing the likelihood of returning to deflation, and suggested that the BOJ will closely monitor factors affecting wage and price increases for potential policy adjustments, including interest rate hikes [4] Interest Rate Expectations - A growing number of analysts predict that the BOJ may raise interest rates sooner than previously expected, with 42% of economists surveyed anticipating a rate hike in October [5] - The survey indicated that while no one expected a rate hike in September, about 25% of respondents believed it could happen as early as next month, with 60% suggesting October as the earliest possible date [5] Investment Strategy Adjustments - Norinchukin Bank's CEO announced a cautious approach to investments following a significant loss of approximately $12 billion in US Treasury investments, emphasizing the need to correct previous imbalances and reduce concentrated bets [6] - The bank plans to diversify its investment portfolio and dynamically adjust its investment strategy based on the yield curve [6]