May 25, 2021
For any country, hosting the Olympics is a major deal, both politically and economically. Yet, in a world ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, going ahead with the Tokyo Games is starting to look like a dangerous gamble on both counts.
Ominously, a growing number of investors in Japanese stocks now believe that canceling the games is better for the market, intensifying the pressure on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is already facing stiff public opposition to the global showcase event.
The potential political damage to Suga, and resulting uncertainty, from staging the games ahead of an election that must be held by October is making investors nervous, according to several fund managers and traders.
Japanese stock investors talk up benefits of shelving Olympics Toggle share menu
Advertisement
Japanese stock investors talk up benefits of shelving Olympics For any country, hosting the Olympics is a major deal, both politically and economically. Yet, in a world ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, going ahead with the Tokyo Games is starting to look like a dangerous gamble on both counts.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen through signboards, at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building in Tokyo, Japan January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato
25 May 2021 03:20PM
COVID-19: Japanese investors talk up benefits of halting Olympics
Reuters, TOKYO
For any country, hosting the Olympics is a major deal politically and economically. Yet, in a world ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, going ahead with the Tokyo Games is starting to look like a dangerous gamble on both counts.
Ominously, a growing number of investors in Japanese stocks now believe that canceling the Games is better for the market, intensifying pressure on Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is already facing stiff public opposition to the global showcase event.
The potential political damage to Suga and resulting uncertainty from staging the Games ahead of an election that must be held by October is making investors nervous, several fund managers and traders said.
By Reuters Staff
2 Min Read
TOKYO, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Japanese shares dropped on Friday, with the Nikkei on course to log its biggest fall since July, after a spike in global bond yields spooked investors already uneasy about the market’s stretched valuation.
Nikkei average fell 2.54% to 29,400.80, hitting its lowest level in almost three weeks. If sustained, it will be the biggest daily drop since July 31, when it fell 2.82%.
For now, the Nikkei managed to find a support at its 25-day moving average of around 29,200.
The broader Topix lost 1.98% to 1,888.02
Except one, mining shares, all of the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s 33 industry subindexes were in the red, with electronic machinery makers, pharmaceuticals and real estate companies also falling more than 2%.
Japanese shares slumped on Friday, logging their biggest daily decline in nearly a year, after a spike in global bond yields spooked investors already uneasy about the market's stretched valuation.