Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Japanese equities reversed early gains to close lower on the week (Nikkei -0.8%, Topix -0.4%) after breaching the 40,000 level on Monday</li>
<li>Trade friction is re-emerging as a key geopolitical overhang ahead of the July 9 tariff deadline</li>
<li>Yaskawa’s profit guidance cut (FY26 OP -14% YoY to ¥43bn vs prior +20%) signals subdued industrial capex ahead, with tariff policy weighing on visibility in FA demand</li>
</ul>


Japanese equities reversed early gains to close lower on the week (Nikkei -0.8%, Topix -0.4%) after breaching the 40,000 level on Monday
Trade friction is re-emerging as a key geopolitical overhang ahead of the July 9 tariff deadline
Yaskawa’s profit guidance cut (FY26 OP -14% YoY to ¥43bn vs prior +20%) signals subdued industrial capex ahead, with tariff policy weighing on visibility in FA demand


Japan Strategy Weekly | Positioning Caution Ahead of Tariff Risk

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index / Technical Analysis

Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index (TWSE INDEX)

<ul>
<li>Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.</li>
<li>We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.</li>
<li>Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.</li>
</ul>


Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.
We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.
Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.


Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).</li>
<li>On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.</li>
<li>MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.</li>
</ul>


The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).
On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.
MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.


Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

<ul>
<li>OVERSEAS.  SPX Clings to Positive gains - barely; Powell Testimony in Focus;  Commodities Weak on dissappointing China growth target; GS upgrade Apple to BUY; Telsa cuts prices (again)</li>
<li>JAPAN. NKY Futs Flat vs Cash; USDJPY 136; Progress on Japan-S.Korea Relation normalization; Public increasingly supports nuclear restarts;  Toyota rolls out BEV in China; Win for Rakuten in "Open Ran"</li>
<li>NUGGET. AI Development platforms are being rolled around across Japan's manufacturing sector to improvement R&amp;D efficiency. This has the potential to drive significant value, especially in Japan Big Pharma</li>
</ul>


OVERSEAS.  SPX Clings to Positive gains - barely; Powell Testimony in Focus;  Commodities Weak on dissappointing China growth target; GS upgrade Apple to BUY; Telsa cuts prices (again)
JAPAN. NKY Futs Flat vs Cash; USDJPY 136; Progress on Japan-S.Korea Relation normalization; Public increasingly supports nuclear restarts;  Toyota rolls out BEV in China; Win for Rakuten in "Open Ran"
NUGGET. AI Development platforms are being rolled around across Japan's manufacturing sector to improvement R&amp;D efficiency. This has the potential to drive significant value, especially in Japan Big Pharma


Good Morning Japan |SPX Holds On..barely; Powell Testimony in Focus; NUGGET: AI & Japan Big Pharma

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

<ul>
<li>The government has promised consumers price inflation for almost a decade now but the only real result of this policy is that we’ve seen record levels of household saving. </li>
<li>Now, however, supply chain and other issues are quickly beginning to force up prices of basic products and these increases are having a real impact on household budgets.</li>
<li>How long this situation may last is the big question but the focus on price means discount food retailers like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kobe-bussan-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4701:1" rel="noopener">Kobe Bussan (3038 JP)</a> are likely to boom.</li>
</ul>


The government has promised consumers price inflation for almost a decade now but the only real result of this policy is that we’ve seen record levels of household saving. 
Now, however, supply chain and other issues are quickly beginning to force up prices of basic products and these increases are having a real impact on household budgets.
How long this situation may last is the big question but the focus on price means discount food retailers like Kobe Bussan (3038 JP) are likely to boom.


Japanese Households Focus on Price as Inflation Fears Spike

Japan

Kewpie Corporation mainly produces and sells mayonnaise, salad dressing, egg products, and health foods.  The Company also purchases and sells jam, sauce, canned and frozen foods.  Kewpie sells canned foods under Aohata brand.

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Kewpie Corp (2809 JP)

Japan Strategy Weekly | Positioning Caution Ahead of Tariff Risk

Japanese equities fell for the week after reaching a milestone, trade tensions resurface before tariff deadline, Yaskawa's profit cut hints at...

Mark Chadwick

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Good Morning Japan |SPX Holds On..barely; Powell Testimony in Focus; NUGGET: AI & Japan Big Pharma

SPX holds on to gains ahead of Powell testimony; Progress on Japan-S.Korea Relation normalization; Nuclear restart support increases; Toyota...

Mark Chadwick

Japanese Households Focus on Price as Inflation Fears Spike

Pressure on household budgets from rising prices – real and perceived – are causing Japanese consumers to focus even further on prices. This will...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japan Strategy Weekly | Positioning Caution Ahead of Tariff Risk

​Japanese equities fell for the week after reaching a milestone, trade tensions resurface before tariff deadline, Yaskawa's profit cut hints at...

Mark Chadwick

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

​The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Good Morning Japan |SPX Holds On..barely; Powell Testimony in Focus; NUGGET: AI & Japan Big Pharma

SPX holds on to gains ahead of Powell testimony; Progress on Japan-S.Korea Relation normalization; Nuclear restart support increases; Toyota...

Mark Chadwick

Japanese Households Focus on Price as Inflation Fears Spike

Pressure on household budgets from rising prices – real and perceived – are causing Japanese consumers to focus even further on prices. This will...

Michael Causton

Japanese equities fell for the week after reaching a milestone, trade tensions resurface before tariff deadline, Yaskawa's profit cut hints at...

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...