Key Takeaways Nikkei 225 tops 59,000 as BOJ dovish shift and tech rally fuel Japan stocks. EWJ has gained 14.5% YTD, offering exposure to 181 large and mid-cap Japanese firms.FLJP tracks 487 Japanese stocks and is up 14.9% YTD with a 9 bps expense ratio. The Japanese equity market is capturing global headlines as the Nikkei 225 surged to a historic milestone, crossing a record high of 59,000 for the first time on Feb. 25, 2026. This milestone underscores how renewed optimism surrounding Japan’s economy and ...

South Korea's central bank raised its key interest rate by a quarter-percentage point as expected on Thursday, in a bid to contain inflation and prevent capital outflows as the U.S. Federal Reserve gears up for more hikes.Japan's Nikkei 225 hit another record Thursday fueled by "Takaichi trade," while the broader Asia-Pacific markets climbed after tech stocks powered a Wall Street rally overnight.The Nikkei 225 rose 1.1%, to an all-time high of 59,199.31, extending its winning streak of record highs to a th ...

Group 1 - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent snap election victory has led to a surge in both the yen and Japanese equities, indicating the strength of the "Takaichi trade" [1] - The WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund (OPPJ) is highlighted as a potential investment vehicle for U.S. investors to capitalize on Takaichi's economic agenda, which includes tax relief and incentives for key industries [1] - Takaichi's electoral win provides a strong mandate, which is positively influencing market participants' views on Japanese assets, leading to increased capital inflows into Japanese equities [1] Group 2 - The political clarity resulting from Takaichi's victory allows investors to make more precise risk assessments regarding Japanese assets, enhancing the attractiveness of investments in this market [1] - Japan is positioned as a unique opportunity among major developed markets due to aligned political and market expectations, supported by a favorable growth outlook and investment incentives [1] - The dominance of industrial stocks, which make up nearly 64% of the OPPJ lineup, reflects the focus on boosting domestic investments in Japan [1]

Group 1: U.S. Market Performance - U.S. markets closed higher, with Big Tech stocks rebounding; Oracle increased by 9.6% and Microsoft by 3.1%, contributing to a 0.47% rise in the S&P 500 and a 0.9% jump in the Nasdaq Composite [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a slight increase of 0.04%, reaching another record close [1] Group 2: Asian Market Trends - Asian stocks mostly followed Wall Street's upward trend, with Japan's Nikkei 225 rising over 2%, outperforming regional peers [2] - Investors are optimistic about Japanese equities due to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's economic policies [2] Group 3: Big Tech Concerns - Despite gains in U.S. and Asian equities, Big Tech faces heavy capital expenditure and financing concerns; Alphabet warned of potential "excess capacity" in data centers [3] - Alphabet plans to raise $20 billion through a U.S. dollar bond sale, including a bond with a 100-year tenor [4] Group 4: Industry Growth Indicators - ChatGPT is reportedly exceeding 10% monthly growth, as stated by CEO Sam Altman; sustained industry growth could mitigate Alphabet's "excess capacity" issues [5] - Oil prices dipped slightly amid the European Union's plans to sanction ports in Indonesia and Georgia over Russian oil handling [5] Group 5: European Market Focus - Key stocks to watch in European markets include AstraZeneca, Barclays, and Kering, which are reporting earnings today [6] - Standard Chartered's shares fell by 3.4% in Hong Kong following the unexpected departure of Diego De Giorgi, who was anticipated to be the next leader of the bank [6]

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on February 9, 2026.There's nearly nothing that apparently can't be deployed as a trading strategy. We have the "TACO" trade, the Fed put trade, the artificial intelligence trade and, now, capturing traders' attention is the "Takaichi trade" — fueled by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory in Sunday's elections. The Takaich ...

Core Viewpoint - Japanese stocks are experiencing record highs following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory, which is expected to lead to a weaker yen, rising equities, and higher government bond yields due to her dovish monetary policy stance and anticipated fiscal stimulus [1][3][4]. Group 1: Election Results and Market Reactions - Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a supermajority with 316 seats, marking the largest election victory since World War Two, allowing her to push her legislative agenda more effectively [2]. - The Nikkei 225 index surpassed 57,000, reaching a record high, while the Topix index also hit an all-time peak of 3,825.67, exceeding pre-election expectations [4]. - Analysts believe the strong LDP win will enable more growth-friendly policies, boosting investor sentiment [4][5]. Group 2: Fiscal Policy and Bond Market Implications - Takaichi's victory is expected to revive the "Takaichi trade," characterized by a weaker yen and rising long-dated government bond yields, reflecting her dovish monetary policy [3]. - The yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond rose by 4 basis points to 2.27% following the election, indicating potential pressure on bonds due to increased government spending [6]. - Takaichi announced a record budget of 122 trillion yen for the upcoming financial year, marking a second consecutive year of record spending [6]. Group 3: Debt Concerns and Currency Movements - Japan's debt-to-GDP ratio is nearly 230%, making it the most indebted nation globally, which raises concerns about fiscal sustainability [7]. - Despite expectations of increased spending, Takaichi indicated that newly issued government bonds would remain below 30 trillion yen for the second consecutive year [13]. - Interestingly, the yen strengthened by 0.4% to 156.55 against the dollar after the election, reflecting Takaichi's commitment to fiscal sustainability [14].

By Rocky Swift TOKYO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Japan's volatile financial markets must now contend with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi firmly in the driver's seat after her decisive victory on Sunday, which hands her an electoral mandate to reflate the economy. The question for investors is whether ​Takaichi's electoral momentum will prompt her to expand her stimulus ambitions or if it lends her the political leeway to proceed more ‌cautiously. Since she began her rise to become the nation's first female prem ...

Geopolitical Tensions - Ongoing Israeli military operations in Southern Lebanon, with airstrikes reported in areas like Marakah, highlight the region's volatility [2][3] - Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli towns, indicating entrenched tensions and potential for regional destabilization [3] Japanese Economic Policy - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi advocates for the benefits of a weaker yen, supported by the country's substantial foreign reserves [4][5] - The yen has fallen to a 10-month low, trading past 157 to the dollar, with the 160 JPY/USD level identified as a critical threshold for potential government intervention [5][6] Market Reactions - The weaker yen has positively impacted Japanese equities, with benchmarks like the Nikkei 225 and Topix reaching new intraday records, benefiting exporters such as Toyota and Hitachi [6] - Despite the advantages for exports, the weak yen raises concerns about inflation and the real incomes of Japanese citizens, with potential long-term implications for stock performance [7]

Core Viewpoint - The Japanese stock market has reached a record high, driven by investor optimism regarding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's potential election victory and her plans for economic stimulus [1][5]. Group 1: Stock Market and Economic Outlook - The stock market has surged 1.5% to a new record high, with an overall increase of nearly 8% since the beginning of the year, including a 4.6% rise following speculation of an early election starting January 8 [6]. - Investors are engaging in the "Takaichi trade," anticipating that her election win will lead to increased government spending or tax cuts to stimulate the economy [1]. Group 2: Fiscal Policy and Debt Concerns - Bond and currency investors are cautious, concerned that new fiscal stimulus could exacerbate Japan's already high public debt, which had a debt-to-GDP ratio of 232% last year, although it has been decreasing since 2020 [2]. - The yield on Japan's benchmark 10-year government bond rose to 2.19%, the highest since 1999, while the 30-year bond yield reached a record 3.51% [2]. Group 3: Political Landscape and Challenges - Takaichi's leadership is characterized by a hardline stance on national security and a preference for lower interest rates and relaxed budget constraints [3]. - Despite her popularity in opinion polls, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is polling lower and has faced challenges with its coalition partner, Komeito, raising doubts about her ability to secure parliamentary support for her economic policies [7].

Central Banks and Federal Reserve - A group of central banks expressed support for Fed Chair Jerome Powell, emphasizing the importance of central bank independence for economic stability [1] Trade and Tariffs - President Trump announced a 25% tariff on trade with any country doing business with Iran, impacting U.S. trade relations [2] Interest Rates and Economic Outlook - New York Fed President John Williams stated that interest rates are well-positioned to stabilize the labor market and achieve the Fed's 2% inflation target, highlighting the benefits of the Fed's independence [3] - Market expectations indicate a 95% chance of no rate change and a 5% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the January FOMC meeting [2] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's main stock indexes closed higher, with the S&P 500 reaching a new record high, driven by gains in data storage companies like Western Digital and Seagate Technology [4] - Walmart's stock rose 3% after being announced as a new addition to the Nasdaq 100 Index [4] - Credit card companies and bank stocks declined following Trump's proposal for a cap on credit card interest rates [4] Earnings Reports and Market Reactions - JPMorgan Chase reported better-than-expected Q4 results, leading to a 0.5% rise in its stock during pre-market trading [16] - Intel and Advanced Micro Devices saw stock increases after being upgraded by KeyBanc [17] Inflation Data and Economic Indicators - The U.S. consumer inflation report is anticipated to show a December CPI of 2.7% year-over-year, unchanged from November, with core CPI expected to rise slightly to 2.7% [6] - New Home Sales data for October is expected to show sales of 716K, incorporating previously delayed September figures [8] International Market Trends - Asian stock markets showed mixed results, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index closing sharply higher amid speculation of a snap election [11][13] - China's Shanghai Composite Index retreated from a 10-year high, with significant turnover indicating potential market overheating [12]