JAPANESE INVESTORS
Lenskart, Meesho deliver gains of nearly $400 million for SoftBank Vision funds
Lenskart saw returns of $273 million, the highest among the Vision funds' listed investments, while Meesho gained $121 million, according to SoftBank's earnings presentation released on Tuesday. The gains come as SoftBank continues to monetise its Indian investments, having sold shares worth more than Rs 9,300 crore in Lenskart and Meesho since June.
Japanese investors sell foreign bonds for seventh time in eight weeks
Japanese investors sold 537.6 billion yen ($3.36 billion) in foreign long-term bonds for the seventh time in eight weeks, reflecting caution over US inflation and Federal Reserve rate expectations. They also withdrew from overseas equities. Meanwhile, foreign investors continued buying Japanese long-term bonds, marking their sixth consecutive week of net purchases.
Japan bond yields decline as investors await 5-year debt auction
Japanese government bond yields declined across maturities on Thursday as investors awaited the five-year bond auction. Markets largely priced in further Bank of Japan rate hikes, potentially nearing their conclusion by June next year. Dovish policymaker Toichiro Asada cautioned against premature tightening, warning of risks to economic growth and inflation.
Nvidia board meets to decide CEO Jensen Huang's future, source says
Nvidia's board is meeting to discuss whether to remove CEO Jensen Huang amid reports of two alleged extramarital affairs involving the longtime leader. The possibility of a leadership change has raised concerns among investors and market experts about the company's succession plans, future AI strategy, China business and its position in the global artificial intelligence industry. Here is what market experts are saying about the potential impact on Nvidia and the broader AI sector.
Qcomm’s Diwali boost; Energy startups attract funds
Happy Wednesday! Quick commerce powered a strong festive season for D2C brands. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Japan's Nikkei rises for third straight session as AI optimism returns; SoftBank falls 3%
Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.80% for a third consecutive session as renewed optimism around artificial intelligence stocks lifted sentiment. Strong semiconductor demand and improving manufacturer confidence supported gains. However, SoftBank shares fell 3% after the technology investment giant reported a second-quarter net loss of 1.1 trillion yen.
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Japan bond yields rise as US inflation fuels rate hike bets
Japanese government bond yields climbed for a third straight session, tracking a global debt selloff after stronger US inflation data and hawkish Fed commentary raised expectations of further rate hikes. Investors also assessed the Bank of Japan’s policy outlook ahead of key bond auctions.

SoftBank posts $7 billion quarterly loss as AI investment risks mount
SoftBank Group reported a $7 billion quarterly loss, reversing last year's profit, as volatile AI investments weighed on earnings. Its $64.6 billion investment in OpenAI has increased exposure to the sector, while falling AI stock valuations, regulatory concerns and market uncertainty intensify investor worries about sustainable returns.

Japanese households buy record 5-year government bonds as rate hike expectations peak
Japanese households have bought a record 8.19 trillion yen worth of retail government bonds this fiscal year, with five-year fixed-rate securities attracting the strongest demand. The shift suggests investors may believe bond yields are nearing their peak as the Bank of Japan moves towards further interest rate hikes.

SoftBank to face scrutiny of AI strategy at second-quarter earnings after selloff
SoftBank Group is on the brink of unveiling its quarterly earnings, navigating a turbulent landscape marked by challenges in the artificial intelligence sector and looming regulatory issues. The company's heavy investments in AI, alongside setbacks like a thwarted acquisition, have sparked skepticism among investors. Predictions indicate earnings could be highly unpredictable, with net profit estimates varying significantly, highlighting ongoing financial instability.

Japan bond yields rise as safe-haven demand eases after tech rebound
Japanese government bond yields rebounded as recovering technology stocks reduced safe-haven demand following last week's sharp selloff. Strong US jobs data and expectations of further Bank of Japan tightening also influenced investor sentiment across the bond market.

Global Market Today: Asian stocks open mostly higher, Nvidia probe looms
Benchmark stock indexes rose in Japan and Australia after a gauge of US semiconductor shares jumped 4.2% on Friday as speculation about possible tighter Democratic party regulation of the artificial intelligence industry eased. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index of equities gained 0.5%.

Japanese government bond yields hit multi-month lows as tech selloff fuels safe-haven demand?
Japanese government bonds rallied as investors sought safety from the deepening global technology-stock selloff. The benchmark 10-year yield fell to a multi-month low, while shorter-maturity yields also declined sharply as risk appetite weakened.

Japan’s SuMiTB makes first Indian realty fund investment with HDFC Capital
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank has made its first investment in an Indian real estate fund. This investment is in HDFC Capital Development of Real Estate Affordable and Mid-Income Fund. The H-DREAM Fund has raised over $400 million in secured investor commitments. This fund targets residential projects within affordable housing while promoting green building standards. The investment reflects the strengthening economic relationship between India and Japan in the real estate sector.
China blocks SoftBank's $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB Robotics
China has blocked SoftBank’s $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics business, disrupting the Japanese group’s AI-powered robotics expansion. The intervention highlights Beijing’s growing scrutiny of cross-border deals involving strategically important technologies.

SoftBank credit default swaps hit 4-year high as AI profitability concerns mount
SoftBank Group’s five-year credit default swap spread climbed to a four-year high as investors grew increasingly concerned about the profitability of artificial intelligence investments. Rising borrowing costs, questions over returns from its OpenAI investment and uncertainty surrounding AI infrastructure spending have added to credit market concerns.

Japan's Nikkei slumps more than 5% as market rout deepens on AI worries
Japan's Nikkei share average plummeted over 5% amid escalating market fears tied to regulatory scrutiny and a slowdown in artificial intelligence advancements. This drop followed the Democratic wins in the US midterm elections, sparking substantial sell-offs in traditional tech stocks. Both S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices recorded significant losses in earlier sessions, signaling a prevailing cautious mood in the global tech stock landscape.

FIFA council member Kohzo Tashima to run against Gianni Infantino in election, Japanese media report
FIFA council member Kohzo Tashima - a colleague of Infantino for nearly 11 years - intends to run for president against the incumbent, Japanese media reported on Thursday after a meeting of the national soccer federation.

China blocks SoftBank's $5.4 billion takeover of ABB's robotics division: FT
Softbank had agreed to buy ABB's robotics business in October last year, as CEO Masayoshi Son sought to establish SoftBank as a core player in the development of artificial intelligence.

AI selloff drags Nikkei lower despite broad-based market gains
Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.5% on Thursday as losses in AI and semiconductor stocks offset gains across the broader market. Concerns over a potential slowdown in data centre investments weighed on chipmakers, even as falling crude oil prices lifted the Topix 1.3%, with real estate, retail and pharmaceutical stocks leading gains.

Japan bond yields fall as oil prices slide on hopes of Iran war de-escalation
Japanese government bond yields declined across maturities, tracking a fall in US Treasury yields as lower oil prices eased inflation concerns and improved hopes of an end to the Iran conflict. However, expectations of further Bank of Japan rate hikes could limit the decline.

China blocks SoftBank's $5.4 billion takeover of ABB's robotics division: Report
China has informed Japanese investor SoftBank that it will block the $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB's robotics segment. This decision is driven by concerns about data transfer overseas for artificial intelligence training. SoftBank had hoped for approval after reaching an agreement last October. ABB's robotics business significantly relies on the Chinese market, contributing about 30% of its total operations.

Nikkei slides to 3-month low as AI stocks tumble on US election jitters
Japan's Nikkei index took a hit as AI-driven stocks plummeted following the aftermath of the US elections, raising alarms over potential Democratic control tightening data-centre regulations. Major players in the tech industry, such as Advantest and SoftBank Group, experienced significant drops in their stock values. Nonetheless, Fast Retailing managed to post slight gains, offering a degree of stability to the overall Nikkei performance amidst a gloomy market outlook.

Anthropic revenue jumps 1,100% ahead of IPO as AI spending commitments near $900 billion
Anthropic reported a 1,100% surge in third quarter revenue to $17 billion ahead of its planned IPO later this month. However, the AI company also disclosed a $23.3 billion net loss and nearly $895 billion in spending commitments, raising questions about AI infrastructure costs and investor appetite for its proposed listing.

Karnataka invites Japanese firms to scale manufacturing, tech alliances
Karnataka seeks collaboration with Japanese companies for manufacturing and innovation in various high-tech sectors. The state presents dedicated incentive packages to support electronics manufacturing and other industries. More than 200 Japanese companies currently operate in Karnataka, enhancing bilateral business relations. Agreements have been signed for Japanese language training to better equip local students.

Japan bond yields edge higher ahead of key JGB auctions; 10-year yield holds at 2.77%
Japanese government bond yields were mixed on Monday, with the 10-year benchmark holding steady at 2.77%, while the 20-year and 30-year yields rose. Investors assessed global interest rate trends ahead of a series of government debt auctions, including a 10-year bond sale on Thursday, followed by 30-year and five-year auctions later this month.

Anthropic plans to sell $3.5 billion of shares to Japan investors in IPO, filing shows
The new shares issued to Japanese investors will go to raise working capital and fund operating expenses and capital expenditure, the filing said.

Japan's Nikkei slips as Kioxia tumbles 13%; Tokyo Electron, Panasonic limit losses
Japan’s Nikkei slipped as Kioxia plunged 13.29% following a disappointing earnings outlook, while banking stocks also weakened. Gains in Tokyo Electron and Panasonic, supported by upbeat profit forecasts and AI-related demand, limited losses. Broader investor sentiment remained cautious following Wall Street’s technology selloff and concerns over AI investment sustainability.

Global Market: Japanese investors extend foreign bond selling streak to six weeks
Japanese investors extended their selling streak in foreign long-term bonds to six weeks, although falling US Treasury yields slowed outflows. Meanwhile, they increased short-term bill purchases and foreign stock investments, while overseas investors returned to Japanese equities.
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