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

Developing nations in dire need

The financial crisis is having a serious impact on low-income countries. more »

EU drives G20 crisis action

The agreement was welcomed by the EU, which has led efforts to crack down on loose banking practices that caused the financial crisis. more »

AB Bank SNORAS group will acquire AB bankas “Finasta” and other companies of AB “Invalda” financial sector

On 31 March this year, the boards of AB Bank SNORAS and AB “Invalda” approved of the purchase and sales transaction of AB “Invalda” financial group's companies. more »

MEPs to vote to step up eco-labelling

MEPs will vote on Thursday 2 April on a first reading agreement on the voluntary EU Ecolabel (“EU flower”) system for environment-friendly products to become less costly and bureaucratic to use. more »

Credit rating firm says U.S. banking industry won't recover until 2010

The fourth quarter of 2008 was not so good for the banking industry, and the financial conditions of commercial banks and savings and loans is expected to further deteriorate for the rest of 2009 and the first part of 2010, according to LACE Financial Corp. more »

Europe's trade with developing countries: Who really benefits?

MEPs recently gave the green light to a new trade deal between Europe and Caribbean countries. more »

Verizon Business Deepens IP Capabilities That Enable Telework

New VoIP Features Boost Flexibility, Mobility, Cost Savings for Organizations Seeking to Untether Workers. more »

Revised GDP

According to the revised data, in IV quarter 2008, GDP at current prices made LTL 28578.8 million and against IV quarter 2007 decreased by 2.2 per cent. more »

Fisheries control: committee rewrites rules on recreational fishing

The EP Fisheries Committee rewrote the rules on recreational fishing in its consultative report, adopted Tuesday, on a proposed “control regulation” to ensure compliance with common fisheries policy (CFP) rules. more »

Trademark fees slashed

In a measure of the Union’s strong growth prior to the financial crisis, the demand for EU trademark rights has shot up in recent years, creating an unexpected budget surplus. more »