U.S. Job Openings Rise to a Better-than-Expected 7 Million Despite Sluggish Labor Market
U.S. job openings rose to 6.95 million in January, surpassing economists' expectations. Layoffs edged lower while quits slipped modestly, indicating tepid worker confidence. Despite the higher posting count, hiring remains weak, with the market described as a hiring recession. The broader economy also slowed, with Q4 2025 growth revised to just 0.7 %.
Japan Digital Payment Firm PayPay Makes U.S. Stock Market Debut
Japanese fintech PayPay Corp debuted on Nasdaq, closing at $18.16 and valuing the company at roughly $12.1 billion, above the $16 offering price. The shares opened at $19, about 19% higher than the price set for the IPO. The offering included...
Japan Warns Companies Considering Ukraine Support on Potential Leaks by Huawei
Japan’s government cautioned domestic firms that aid Ukraine’s reconstruction about the risk of technology and sensitive data leaks via Huawei‑supplied 5G networks. The warning follows a Ukrainian telecom operator’s 5G trials with Huawei and a failed bid by Japan’s Rakuten...
'Stealth Hit' Pokemon Game Sends Nintendo Shares Soaring
Nintendo’s newly released life‑simulation title Pokemon Pokopia sparked a 9% jump in the company’s shares after its March 5 launch on the Switch 2 console. The game earned an 89 Metacritic score, quickly selling out stores worldwide and earning praise for bridging...
Asian Shares Surge, Echoing Rally on Wall Street as Oil Prices Sink Back to About $90
Asian equities rebounded sharply on Tuesday as oil prices retreated from a peak near $120 to around $90 a barrel, easing geopolitical risk concerns. President Donald Trump’s remarks that the Iran‑related conflict was “very complete” further calmed markets. Japan’s revised...
Japan's Jobless Rate Rises to 2.7% as Workers Seek Better Positions
Japan’s unemployment rate ticked up to 2.7% in January, ending a five‑month decline. The labor ministry reported a 0.4% dip in total employment and a 3.2% rise in the unemployed, driven largely by a 7.9% jump in voluntary quits. Job...
Nikkei Index Ends at Record High
The Nikkei Stock Average closed at a record 58,583.12 points, up 2.20% as investors cheered the nomination of two new Bank of Japan policymakers viewed as dovish. The yen briefly slipped past the 156‑yen level before retreating, while the broader...
Toyota Union Lowers Annual Bonus Demand
Toyota Motor Corp's labor union lowered its annual bonus demand to 7.3 months' pay, a 0.3‑month reduction from last year’s record level, as the automaker faces higher U.S. tariffs. The union also called for wage hikes in the spring “shunto”...
Japan's Economy Barely Grows in Oct-Dec Quarter as Exports Slow
Japan’s economy grew a modest 0.2 percent annualised in the October‑December quarter, just enough to avoid a technical recession after a 0.7 percent contraction in the prior quarter. Private consumption rose 0.4 percent, but a 1.1 percent drop in exports dragged overall growth. The...
Sharp's Plan to Sell Japan LCD Plant to Parent Foxconn Falls Through
Sharp announced that its plan to sell the Kameyama No. 2 LCD panel plant in Mie Prefecture to parent company Foxconn has collapsed, prompting a shutdown slated for August. The company will cut 1,170 jobs through early‑retirement packages and record a...
Honda Reports Declining Profit
Honda Motor Co announced a 42% plunge in profit for the nine months through December, falling to 465.4 billion yen from 805.2 billion yen a year earlier. Sales dipped 2.2% to 15.98 trillion yen, yet the company kept its full‑year profit forecast of...
Japan Logs Record Current Account Surplus for 2nd Straight Year in 2025
Japan recorded a historic 31.88 trillion yen current‑account surplus in 2025, the second year of record balances and an 11.1 percent rise from the prior year. The surplus was driven by a 4.7 percent jump in primary income from overseas investments and a...
Japan Monthly Household Spending in 2025 up 0.9%
Japan's average monthly household spending rose 0.9% year‑on‑year in 2025, marking the first increase after three consecutive years of decline. The gain was driven by higher outlays on education, entertainment and automobiles, while food expenses fell 1.2% as consumers curtailed...
Toyota Names New CEO After Reporting Drop in Profits
Toyota announced a 43% drop in quarterly profit and named its CFO, Kenta Kon, as the new chief executive and president effective April. Kon, a veteran with expertise in automated driving, will replace Koji Sato, who will stay on as...
Sony Hikes Forecasts Even as PlayStation Falters
Sony raised its FY2025‑26 profit forecast to 1.13 trillion yen, citing a weaker yen and offsetting a slowdown in PlayStation sales. Operating profit is projected to grow 20.6% with revenues reaching 12.3 trillion yen. Despite a 16% decline in PS5 sales and...