Business confidence is growing in Japan

Published: 7 March 2004 y., Sunday
Japanese executives remain hopeful about the economy and Japan's largest bank has moved to reassure investors and the public. Business confidence is growing in Japan, where the economy is expanding at its fastest clip in 13 years. A Ministry of Finance survey shows that large companies expressed optimism for the second quarter in a row in the January to March period. According to the survey, which measures optimism on a numerical scale, confidence is now at 5.1 compared with 5.3 last quarter. A positive number indicates that optimists outnumber pessimists. Business executives say a recovery in corporate investment and exports is fueling their hope, as is Japan's improved growth rate, now at 7 percent on a yearly basis. Japan's largest bank in terms of assets, Mizuho Financial Group, is moving to restore public confidence after receiving a government bailout in the late 1990's. The bank says it plans to return more than $4.5 billion to government coffers. It owes more than $20 billion in public funds.
Šaltinis: voanews.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Parex Bankas is to refinance LTL 19.5 million for small and medium-sized enterprises

Parex Bankas won the tender organised by UAB Investicijų ir Verslo Garantijos regarding the financing of very small, small and medium-sized enterprises, and is to lend LTL 100 million together with other three selected banks. more »

Commission approves aid package for German bank WestLB

The European Commission has approved, under EC Treaty state aid rules, the €5 billion risk shield for German bank WestLB and accompanying measures, following an in-depth investigation opened in October 2008. more »

Capital Requirements Directive - rapporteur Karas interviewed

MEPs have backed new rules to rebuild trust in Europe's battered banks through better financial supervision and risk management. more »

AB Bank SNORAS changes the interest rates on time deposits

Taking into consideration the tendencies in the market, starting from 11 May this year AB Bank SNORAS will change the interest rates on time deposits in Litas, Euro, Great Britain pounds and USA dollars. more »

VW, Porsche in merger talks

Now VW and Porsche who are looking into a merger. more »

Small business, big ideas

First European SME week supports small businesses and encourages entrepreneurship. more »

Twist of fate: $120,000 found at ATM

Officials at an El Paso bank said $120,000 found at an ATM doesn't belong to the bank. more »

MEPs adopt strict conditions for the placing on the market of seal products in the European Union

The placing on the market of seal products should not be allowed say MEPs. It is permitted only where the seal products result from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities. more »

Obama's corporate tax crackdown

President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to overhaul tax policies that he said reward companies for shifting U.S. jobs overseas and allow wealthy people to evade taxes using offshore accounts. more »

Animals used in science, seal ban debated Monday

MEPs will discuss the protection of animals used for science Monday evening along with a proposal to ban the trade in seal products. more »