Japan Stocks Decline on U.S. Concerns, Strong Yen; Sony and Mizuho Drop

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks fell after American
Home Mortgage Investment Corp. said it lacks cash to fund new
loans, sending U.S. shares lower and reigniting concerns subprime
problems will curb growth in the world's largest economy.

Exporters including Sony Corp. declined after the yen
strengthened, cutting the value of their overseas sales in the
local currency. The U.S. Standard & Poor's 500 Index posted its
biggest monthly drop in three years.


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Japan Shares Fall on Ruling Party's Election Defeat, U.S. Subprime Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks dropped after
Japan's ruling party suffered a worse-than-expected electoral
defeat and U.S. residential investment slumped, raising concern
the world's largest economy will slow.

Sony Corp. slid and Nintendo Co. extended its two-day loss
to 9.6 percent, leading exporters lower after the yen advanced
to the highest against the dollar in more than three months,
reducing the value of their overseas sales.


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Nikkei hits 7-year closing high; tech, machine stocks up

(Reuters) - But shares of real estate firms such as Mitsui Fudosan and Mitsubishi Estate weighed on the market after the data fuelled concern about higher interest rates.




Shares of Sony Corp. ended down a touch after a company executive told Reuters in an interview in San Francisco that it plans to cut the price of its PlayStation 3 consoles in the United States by $100, or 17 percent, to $500.


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Japanese Stocks May Fall, Led by Exporters, Honda on Inflation Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks may decline, paced by
companies that rely on U.S. sales such as Sony Corp. and Honda
Motor Co., after a higher-than-forecast rise in U.S. labor costs
fueled concerns about accelerating inflation.

The U.S. is the largest overseas market for Sony, while Honda
made more than half of its total sales in North America last year.


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Asian Stocks Rise; Investors Shrug Off China Slump on U.S. Growth Outlook

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose to a record, led by
BHP Billiton Ltd. and Sony Corp., after the U.S. Federal Reserve's
prediction that growth will pick up in the world's biggest economy
helped investors shrug off a tumble in Chinese shares.

``The U.S. economy is posing less of a risk to markets than
before,'' said Kim Woo Sik, who manages $210 million at SH Asset
Management Co. in Seoul. ``China's fall wasn't because of
fundamental problems with its economy, so the impact is pretty
much contained within its borders.''


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Asian Stocks Advance on Metals Prices, Weaker Yen; BHP Billiton, Sony Rise

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose for the first time
in three days after metals prices gained and the yen weakened
against the dollar and euro.

Materials producers including BHP Billiton Ltd., the
world's biggest mining company, posted the biggest gains among
the Morgan Stanley Capital International Asia-Pacific Index's 10
industry groups. Sony Corp. advanced on speculation a weaker yen
will boost the value of overseas sales at Japanese exporters.


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Japan's Nikkei Average, Topix Index Rise; Sony, Mitsui & Co. Lead Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average
rose 63.48, or 0.4 percent, to 17,544.69 at 9:02 a.m. in Tokyo.
The broader Topix index added 8.70, or 0.5 percent, to
1724.24.

Sony Corp. and Mitsui & Co. led the advances.


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Japanese Shares Climb, Paced by Sony, Exporters on U.S. Confidence, Yen

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese shares advanced after U.S.
consumer confidence unexpectedly rose this month and the yen
weakened against the dollar and euro.

Sony Corp. surged 4.2 percent, the most in more than three
months, leading gains by exporters. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.
jumped 5.7 percent after Nomura Securities Co. began coverage of
shipping companies and said the brokerage is ``bullish'' on the
industry.


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