Nikkei likely to rise on hopes for govt stock buying
Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:24pm EST
TOKYO, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average is likely to
gain on Wednesday, after nearing a 26-year low the previous day,
following a jump on Wall Street and a media report that the
Japanese government may buy stocks from the market. Japan's finance minister said on Tuesday the government was
looking into expanding stock buying to support the share market
and the Nikkei business daily said this might include buying
stocks directly from the market. [ID:nN24417212] "The market pared losses after hitting lows yesterday and it
will likely keep that momentum. Additionally, we have a report
today that the government will buy stocks by using public funds
and that will prompt the Nikkei to try the 7,500 level," said
Kazuhiro Takahashi, general manager at Daiwa Securities SMBC. "Although the market can't get back in a full-fledged upward
trend as long as fundamentals don't change, the report will
likely help soothe panic selling for now." Direct stock buying would go much further than current
government stock buying, which involves the Bank of Japan
purchasing shares held by banks. [ID:nT359930] Takahashi said the rebound in U.S. stocks and a weaker yen
will likely buoy exporter shares such as automakers and high-tech
companies. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 2NKc1 closed at 7,470 on
Tuesday, up 180 points from the Osaka close JNIc1, pointing to
a higher open. Market participants expect the benchmark Nikkei .N225 to
move between 7,300 and 7,500 on Wednesday. The index slipped 1.5 percent the previous day to end at
7,268.56, its lowest close since Oct. 27, after briefly touching
7,155.16 -- not far from a 26-year low just under 7,000. The broader Topix booked its lowest close since
December 1983. U.S. stocks rose more than 3 percent on Tuesday to snap back
from 12-year lows, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
delivered a big dose of relief when he signalled that
nationalisation of big banks was not at hand.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCAT36631220090224?rpc=44