DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Asia stocks slide on U.S. rate worries, dollar ascendant
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. dollar hung close to the highest since mid-March against major peers, and touched a fresh 10-month top to the yen. U.S. stock futures pointed to a 0.1% decline, following a 0.7% slide for the S&P 500 (.SPX) overnight. "It all goes back to the discussion of where that magical neutral rate happens to be," he said. The dollar earlier touched the highest since Nov. 4 versus the yen at 147.875 . Brent crude futures edged up 12 cents to $90.72 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) futures gained 11 cents to $87.65.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Brent, HSI, hasn't, Kyle Rodda, Kevin Buckland, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Japan's Nikkei, Federal Reserve, Capital.com, U.S ., People's Bank of China, Brent, West Texas, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Asia, Europe, Melbourne, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia

☆ Nearly 70% of Japan firms yet to disclose strategies for better capital efficiency
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Makiko Yamazaki | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A photographer takes photo of a large screen showing stock prices at the Tokyo Stock Exchange after market opens in Tokyo, Japan October 2, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Japan Exchange Group Inc FollowTOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Nearly 70% of companies listed on the top "prime" section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) have yet to respond to the bourse's call for better capital efficiency, a request that helped lift the Japanese market to 33-year highs. "The call has already prompted responses from a certain number of companies," the TSE said in a document released early this week. The remaining 69% made no mention in their annual corporate governance reports, where they are required to disclose such measures. Specific measures include making investments for growth, increasing shareholder returns and revising business portfolios, according to the TSE, owned by Japan Exchange Group (8697.T).

Persons: Kim Kyung, Makiko Yamazaki, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Japan Exchange, TSE, PBR, Japan Exchange Group, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Japan's Simplex launches first ETFs focused on stocks below book value
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A woman uses a mobile phone in front of an electric board displaying the Nikkei stock average outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan June 14, 2023. Some 189 companies in the Topix 500 (.TOPX500) trade below book value, compared to 17 in the S&P 500 (.SPX), according to Simplex. The funds launch next week and are focused on the areas of the market where many investors see the most potential. One of the funds, Simplex PBR Improvement over 1x ETF (2080.T), will contain about 500 stocks that average 0.7 times their book value. Simplex is also launching a third ETF (2082.T) focused on stocks where executive pay is tied to corporate performance.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Hiromasa Mizushima, Junko Fujita, Tom Westbrook, Miral Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Rights, Simplex, Management, Japan's Nikkei, Tokyo bourse, Simplex Asset Management, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Asia stocks track Wall Street rally as treasury yields retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Julie Zhu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Asian shares rallied on Thursday after blockbuster results from tech darling Nvidia (NVDA.O) boosted Wall Street and a retreat in U.S. bond yields eased pressure on borrowing costs globally. Early in the Asian trading day, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was up 0.7%, also lifted by Nvidia's bullish outlook. Australian shares (.AXJO) edged up 0.27%, while Japan's Nikkei stock index (.N225) rose 0.23%. On Wednesday, U.S. stocks ended sharply higher across the board as shares of Nvidia jumped nearly 10% in trading after the bell, hitting an all-time high after it forecast third-quarter revenue well above Wall Street targets. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 0.54%, the S&P 500 (.SPX) gained 1.10% and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 1.59%.

Persons: Kim Kyung, HONG KONG, Jerome Powell, Jackson, Powell, HSI, Brent, Lincoln Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Federal, ANZ, Japan's Nikkei, Nvidia, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Treasuries, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, HONG, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S, South Korea, Indonesia, Asia, Pacific, United States

☆ Morgan Stanley and MUFG’s next act is well-timed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and the $94 billion Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (8306.T) are tapping deeper into a good thing at the right time. As well as collaborating on foreign exchange trading, Morgan Stanley and MUFG will now integrate the institutional Japan equities business by consolidating research and institutional sales into Morgan Stanley’s joint venture entity. It’s a bright backdrop for Morgan Stanley and MUFG’s partnership. Follow @ugalani on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSMorgan Stanley and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial on July 18 announced plans to deepen their 15-year alliance, including in foreign exchange trading and in Japanese research and equities businesses for institutional clients. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, MUFG, James Gorman, Ohta, Morgan, isn’t, Morgan Stanley’s, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Wall, Mitsubishi UFJ, MUFG, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial, Jefferies, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, U.S, Japan

☆ Can Japan's Nikkei benchmark hit an all-time high of 40,000? One strategist thinks so
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesJapan's Nikkei 225 can reach 40,000 points in the next 12 months as fundamentals are "pointing in the right direction," according to market strategist Jesper Koll. Should the prediction come true, this would mean that the Nikkei would have breached its all-time high of 38,195 achieved on Dec 29, 1989. Japan's central bank has maintained an ultra-loose monetary policy for more than 20 years. He said that while there is more upside in the Nikkei, "a lot of good news is already priced in." That's on the expectation that the BOJ will move to tighten monetary policy.

Persons: Akio Kon, Jesper Koll, CNBC's, Koll, Kazuo Ueda, Tony Sycamore Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, Bloomberg, Getty, Nikkei, Monex Group, Bank of Japan, CNBC Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Japan's, Koll, Sycamore

☆ Japan Investment Corp in $7 billion deal talks with chipmaker JSR, Nikkei reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 24 (Reuters) - State-backed Japan Investment Corp is in talks to buy the country's top chipmaker, JSR Corp (4185.T), for about 1 trillion yen ($6.96 billion), the Nikkei reported on Saturday. If the deal goes through, JSR would delist from the Tokyo Stock Exchange as soon as 2024, according to Nikkei. To purchase JSR, JIC intends to establish a new company with 500 billion yen in capital, while Mizuho Bank will provide another 400 billion yen in finance. The fund plans to raise 100 billion yen via preferred shares and subordinated loans underwritten by various banks, according to Nikkei. The deal would grant JSR, with its significant 30% share of the global photoresist market, greater freedom for expansion, without being constrained by worries about stock market performance, Nikkei said.

Persons: JIC, Riya Sharma, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Japan Investment Corp, JSR, Nikkei, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mizuho Bank, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Chamath Palihapitiya calls Warren Buffett the 'GOAT' after figuring out his Japanese bet
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Prominent tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya expressed his admiration towards Warren Buffett, calling the "Oracle of Omaha" the greatest of all time after analyzing his latest bet on Japan. The 92-year-old Buffett recently hiked his stakes in five Japanese trading houses — Itochu , Marubeni , Mitsubishi , Mitsui and Sumitomo — to more than 8.5%. These companies, which are roughly akin to a conglomerate structure just like Berkshire, make good investments because they are stable dividend payers and earning growers, Palihapitiya said. The 92-year-old Buffett paid a visit to Japan and met with the heads at these Japanese firms earlier this year. Similar to Berkshire, the Japanese trading firms, also known as sogo shosha, are conglomerates involved in a wide range of products and services, including energy, machinery, chemicals, food, finance and banking.

Persons: Chamath Palihapitiya, Warren Buffett, Palihapitiya, Capital's Palihapitiya, Buffett, What's, he's Organizations: Buffett, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Tokyo Stock Exchange Locations: Omaha, Japan, Berkshire

☆ Asia markets set to fall as Wall Street rally cools from last week
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Pedestrians cross a street in front of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, operated by Japan Exchange Group, in Tokyo, Japan. Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall Wednesday, mirroring moves on Wall Street as stocks came back from the Juneteenth holiday to trade lower on Tuesday. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 slid 0.42%, leading losses in the region along with the Topix, which fell 0.21%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.21%, and if the losses hold, this would break the index's seven-day winning streak. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also looks set to extend its losses for a third-straight day, with futures at 19,347 compared to the HSI's close of 19,607.08.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Kospi Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan Exchange Group, Nikkei Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Pacific, Australia

☆ Berkshire Hathaway's holdings in five Japanese companies could go beyond 10%, Jefferies says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway once again increased its stakes in five Japanese trading houses, and Jefferies said watch out for more such buying from the "Oracle of Omaha." Thanh Ha Pham, equity analyst at Jefferies, said Berkshire's holdings in these companies could go even beyond 10% in the future, and collaboration with Berkshire's businesses is another avenue to explore. The 92-year-old Buffett paid a visit to Japan and met with the heads at these Japanese firms earlier this year. Like Berkshire, the Japanese trading firms, also known as sogo shosha, are conglomerates that are involved in a wide range of products and services, including energy, machinery, chemicals, food, finance and banking. "By investing in trading houses, investors obtain a well-diversified business portfolio that is not exposed to any single industry or geography," Pham said.

Persons: Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Jefferies, Thanh Ha Pham, Warren Buffett, Pham, Buffett Organizations: National Indemnity Company, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Jefferies, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Itochu Locations: Omaha, Itochu, Berkshire, Japan

☆ Toyota shareholders make 15% the new win-win
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Both Glass Lewis and ISS reckon there aren’t enough properly independent directors on the board, even though Toyota complies with the requirements laid down by the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Yet ISS held back from advising shareholders vote against them because it would risk “increasing management dominance of the board”. Toyota is a laggard on both and is now under pressure to get powerful investors back onside. CONTEXT NEWSMore than 15% of voting shareholders were against reappointing Chairman Akio Toyoda to Toyota Motor’s board at its annual meeting on June 14, the Japanese carmaker said on June 15. About 15% of shareholders who voted supported a resolution asking the company to issue an annual review of its climate lobbying activities.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis, Glass Lewis plumped, Toyoda, Masahiko Oshima, carmaker, Pete Sweeney, Thomas Shum Organizations: MELBOURNE, Reuters, Toyota, ISS, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial, Nikkei, California Public, New York, New York City Comptroller, Twitter, Thomson Locations: New York City

☆ Toyota wins over shareholders at AGM after questions on strategy, governance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, June 14 (Reuters) - Toyota (7203.T) shareholders backed the board and voted down the first resolution proposed in 18 years at an annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, an endorsement of the automaker a day after it laid out an extensive electric vehicle strategy. MANUFACTURING CHANGEThe carmaker said it would radically redesign manufacturing, having vehicles drive along the production line instead of being carried by conveyor. GOVERNANCETwo huge U.S. public pension funds voted against the re-election of Chairman Akio Toyoda, with proxy advisor Glass Lewis saying re-election threatened board independence. Toyota said its board meets Tokyo Stock Exchange standards. CLIMATE LOBBYINGThree asset managers have urged Toyota to improve disclosure of climate change lobbying in a proposal backed by proxy advisor Institutional Shareholder Services.

Persons: Tesla, Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis Organizations: Toyota, EV, Tokyo, Exchange, Services, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Toyota makes its case at AGM after investors question strategy, governance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The roadmap could help the world's top-selling automaker make its case to investors at the meeting, where it also faces a shareholder resolution over its climate lobbying as well as questions about governance. EV ROADMAPToyota aims to produce more efficient, faster-charging versions of current batteries to improve EV driving range and cost, and, within the decade, mass produce game-changing solid-state batteries after saying it had overcome a technical hurdle. MANUFACTURING CHANGEThe carmaker said it would radically redesign manufacturing, having vehicles drive along the production line instead of being carried by conveyor. GOVERNANCETwo huge U.S. public pension funds voted against the re-election of Chairman Akio Toyoda, with proxy advisor Glass Lewis saying re-election threatened board independence. CLIMATE LOBBYINGThree asset managers have urged Toyota to improve disclosure of climate change lobbying in a proposal backed by proxy advisor Institutional Shareholder Services.

Persons: Koji Sato, Tesla, Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis Organizations: Toyota, EV, Tokyo, Exchange, Services, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Investors Are Putting Big Money Into Japan Again. Here’s Why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Vivek Shankar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The prime minister, Shinzo Abe, stood in front of the cameras in 2014 and said he was going to shake up the staid ways companies operated in Japan. Shellshocked by years of economic malaise that followed the bubble of the 1980s, Japanese executives had clung to the status quo for years. The Tokyo Stock Exchange has implored companies to be “conscious” of their share prices. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index has jumped nearly 30 percent this year, far outstripping the gains for the S&P 500, the benchmark in the United States. The Nikkei has not been this high since the early 1990s, when Japan was slumping into what is known as the Lost Decade.

Persons: Shinzo Abe, Uniqlo, Warren Buffett Organizations: Citizen Watch, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nikkei Locations: Japan, United States

TOKYO, June 13 (Reuters) - Toyota (7203.T) faces an unprecedented challenge at its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, with some pension funds voting against Chairman Akio Toyoda on governance issues, while seeking more disclosures on the Japanese automaker's climate lobbying. Two prominent U.S. proxy advisers have flagged concern about Toyota's board independence. The step comes as companies across Japan face more pressure from investors, especially on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The strong financial performance has meant concerns about board independence have largely been shrugged off, said Kazunori Suzuki of Waseda Business School. He enjoys strong support from individual investors and the many suppliers and Toyota group companies among its shareholders.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Toyoda, Kentaro Shibata, Kazunori Suzuki, Anders Schelde, Denmark's, AkademikerPension, AkademikerPension's Schelde, Nicholas Benes, Benes, that's, Makiko Yamazaki, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, William Mallard, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Toyota, Nikkei, Waseda Business School, Tokyo, Exchange, Services, International Paralympic Committee, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Training, of Japan, Nissan, Honda, Reuters, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, New York, Japan, Toyota

TOKYO, June 13 - Japan's benchmark Nikkei gauge surged on Tuesday, closing over 33,000 for the first time in 33 years, led by technology shares on expectations of a flood of investment in chip-related companies. The Nikkei (.N225) climbed for a third-straight session, adding 1.8% to 33,018.65, closing above the key psychological level for the first time since July 1990. Global shares climbed on Monday ahead of closely watched U.S. inflation data on and policy decisions from the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, and other central banks. Toyota's EV strategy "was well received by the market, and also last night the U.S. market was strong, so we have a strong market today," said Daiwa Securities strategist Kenji Abe. The auto sector (.TEWP.T) rose 3.4% to become the best performer among the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry sub-indexes.

Persons: Kenji Abe, Drugmaker Eisai, Rocky Swift, Sonia Cheema Organizations: Nikkei, SoftBank Group Corp, Intel Corp, Advantest Corp, Toyota Motor Corp, Global, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Daiwa, Tokyo Stock, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S

☆ Japan optimism has been fueled by 'game-changing' reforms and Warren Buffett: Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The Tokyo Exchange Group recently finalized its market restructuring rules. Warren Buffett's bullish calls on Japanese equities has also helped boost confidence among foreign investors. It could in turn lead to a domino effect among other Japanese companies once the big players start to make changes. Corporate governance is the "third arrow" of the three core tenets of Abenomics — monetary easing and fiscal stimulus are the other two. Buffett's May disclosures helped spur 10 straight weeks of net foreign purchases of Japanese equities.

Persons: Richard A, Brooks, Oliver Lee, Warren Buffett's bullish, —, Yunosuke Ikeda, Nomura's Ikeda, Shinzo Abe, Warren, Berkshire, Asli, Shuntaro Takeuchi, Matthews Asia, Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, that's, Matthews Asia's Takeuchi, We're, Oliver Lee Eastspring, Eastspring's Lee Organizations: Afp, Getty, Nikkei, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Tokyo Exchange Group, CNBC, Tokyo bourse, Berkshire Hathaway, Kyoto, Investing, Buffett, Foreigners, Japan Ministry of Finance, Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management, Graduate School of Economics, Mitsui & Co, Hitachi Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Singapore, Abenomics, San Francisco

TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei index extended its climb to scale a near 33-year high on Tuesday, with trading houses and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing leading the gains on technical support for heavyweight shares ahead of the fixing of special quotation prices. The Nikkei (.N225) recouped from early losses to close nearly 1% higher at 32,506.78. Shares of Fast Retailing (9983.T) climbed 1.73%, contributing the most to the Nikkei's advance, while trading company Mitsui & Co (8031.T) jumped 3.86%. Trading houses (.IWHOL.T) and mining companies (.IMING.T) led gains among the 33 industry sub-indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, rising 2.5%. read moreReporting by Rocky Swift and Nobuyo Saito in Tokyo; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: speculatively, Takashi Nakamura, Mio Kato, Nitto Denko, Rocky Swift, Nobuyo Saito, Rashmi Aich, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Nikkei, Tokai Tokyo Research, Retailing, Mitsui & Co, Mizuho Financial Group, LightStream, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Apple, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Tokyo

☆ Japan's Nikkei closes at 33-year high; firm Wall Street lifts appetite
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Nikkei index (.N225) jumped 2.2% to end at 32,217.43, its highest close since July 1990 and posted its biggest daily gain since Jan. 18. "The market was supported by the gains in the U.S. market on Friday. That helped keep the money flowing into risk assets in Japan," said Shigetoshi Kamada, general manager at the research department at Tachibana Securities. Hence, when U.S. shares rise, there is no reason for not buying Japanese stocks, Kamada added. All but one of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33-sector sub-indexes rose, with machineries (.IMCHN.T) rising 3.12% to lead the gains.

Persons: Shigetoshi Kamada, Kamada, Fanuc, Junko Fujita, Janane Venkatraman, Sohini Organizations: Nikkei, Bank of Japan, Tachibana Securities, The Bank of, Reserve, Tokyo, Screen Holdings, Tokyo Stock, Utilities, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S, Japan, The Bank of Japan, Washington, Philadelphia

☆ Toyota gets activism, without the activists
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, June 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - It’s one thing to be targeted by pushy activists looking for a quick return. It’s perhaps more embarrassing to receive the wholesale disapproval of American pension funds who are long-term stewards of capital. That’s the position the board of $200 billion carmaker Toyota (7203.T) finds itself in. The pair also favoured a resolution brought by Danish and Dutch pension funds urging Toyota to improve disclosure of its lobbying on climate change. Toyota insists its board adheres to the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s independence standards.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Katrina Hamlin, Pete Sweeney, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Reuters, Toyota, New York, California Public Employees, Danish, Tokyo Stock, Twitter, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, New York City, Una, Saudi, East

Toyota shares closed up 3.4%, outperforming the 1.2% gain in the Nikkei index (.N225). BOARD INDEPENDENCENew York City Comptroller Brad Lander said in a statement the Toyota board was not adequately independent. The New York comptroller's office oversees a pension system with $243 billion in assets under management. Those funds held 6.7 million shares in Toyota Group companies, including Toyota Boshoku (3116.T) and Toyota Tsusho (8015.T) as of end March. The New York pension system has also urged both Ford (F.N) and General Motors (GM.N) to move rapidly toward electrification and to disclose more about their lobbying on vehicle standards.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis, Toyoda, CalPERS, Brad Lander, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Maki Shiraki, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed, Christopher Cushing, Leslie Adler Organizations: Toyota Motor Corp, California Public Employees, New York, Toyota, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nikkei, The, Toyota Group, Ford, General Motors, Lexus, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, New York City, York, Tokyo

One of them, Glass Lewis, recommended shareholders vote against re-electing Toyoda, citing what it said was his responsibility for the lack of a sufficiently independent board. Toyota on Friday did not immediately comment on the votes against the re-election of Toyoda. The New York comptroller's office oversees a pension system with $243 billion in assets under management. BOARD INDEPENDENCENew York City Comptroller Brad Lander said the Toyota board was not adequately independent, in a statement explaining the vote by the funds it oversees. The New York pension system has also urged both Ford (F.N) and General Motors (GM.N) to move rapidly toward electrification and to disclose more about their lobbying on vehicle standards.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis, Toyoda, CalPERS, Brad Lander, Elon, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Maki Shiraki, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed Organizations: Toyota Motor Corp, California Public Employees, New York, Toyota, Tokyo Stock Exchange, The, New, Ford, General Motors, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, New York City, York, New York, Tokyo

One of them, Glass Lewis, recommended shareholders vote against re-electing Toyoda, citing what it said was his responsibility for the lack of a sufficiently independent board. CalPERS, which declined to comment, is the largest U.S. public pension fund with some $450 billion in assets under management. The New York City pension funds held 6.7 million shares in Toyota Group companies, including Toyota Boshoku (3116.T) and Toyota Tsusho (8015.T) as of end March. BOARD INDEPENDENCENew York City Comptroller Brad Lander said the Toyota board was not adequately independent, in a statement explaining the vote by the funds it oversees. The New York pension system has also urged both Ford (F.N) and General Motors (GM.N) to move rapidly toward electrification and to disclose more about their lobbying on vehicle standards.

Persons: Akio Toyoda, Glass Lewis, Toyoda, CalPERS, Brad Lander, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Maki Shiraki, Kevin Krolicki, Jamie Freed, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Toyota Motor Corp, California Public Employees, New York, Toyota, Tokyo Stock Exchange, The, New, Toyota Group, Nikkei, Ford, General Motors, Lexus, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, New York City, York, Tokyo

In April and May, domestic outflows totalled around 2 trillion yen ($14.81 billion) for individual investors and over 2.2 trillion yen for Japanese institutions. While foreign investors are excited about the prospect of a new era of growth in corporate Japan, domestic investors are eager to catch any profits they can, sticking to a strategy born out of decades of fleeting rallies. Reuters Graphics"It has been a trend that retail investors sell stocks at a peak. This time short-term investors sold stocks as they were cautious about the sharp gains of the Nikkei," said Shoichi Arisawa, general manager of the investment research department at IwaiCosmo Securities. "Long-term investors also sold stocks because they were saddled with losses after the Nikkei made a range-bound move for a long time."

Persons: Shoichi Arisawa, Masayuki Kubota, Kubota, Warren Buffet, Ohara, Ankur Banerjee, Junko Fujita, Rocky Swift, Gaurav Dogra, Tom Westbrook, Sam Holmes Organizations: Nikkei, Reuters, IwaiCosmo Securities, Rakuten Securities, Tokyo Stock, Reuters Graphics, Bank of Japan, Gaurav, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, SINGAPORE, Japan, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru

☆ Toyota governance fight gets stuck in traffic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, May 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Governance campaigns against Japanese companies have a hard enough time gaining traction as it is. ValueAct Capital’s two-year campaign against Seven & i (3382.T) culminated last week with at best just a third of shareholders backing its four board candidates. Glass Lewis asserts just three of Toyota’s 10 board candidates are unaffiliated, fewer than the one-third the advisory sets as a floor. Toyota insists its board meets the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s independence standards. He should go in any event: having the former CEO of 14 years lead the board is bad governance.

Search resuls for: "Tokyo Stock Exchange"

25 mentions found