Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
Context: The Bank of Japan (BoJ) will announce its monetary policy decision on Friday, 19 September 2025. Unlike most central banks, the BoJ announces its decisions flexibly, usually around noon.</li>
<li>
Highlight: Analysis of the past 13 meetings hints at patterns linking longer meetings and delayed announcements with policy changes, including a surprise hike in July 2024.</li>
<li>
Why it Matters: This analysis helps investors interpret timing signals ahead of the 19 September decision, assessing whether delay itself could hint at an outcome shift.</li>
</ul>



Context: The Bank of Japan (BoJ) will announce its monetary policy decision on Friday, 19 September 2025. Unlike most central banks, the BoJ announces its decisions flexibly, usually around noon.

Highlight: Analysis of the past 13 meetings hints at patterns linking longer meetings and delayed announcements with policy changes, including a surprise hike in July 2024.

Why it Matters: This analysis helps investors interpret timing signals ahead of the 19 September decision, assessing whether delay itself could hint at an outcome shift.


Bank of Japan’s Rate Decision on Sept 19: Does Timing Signal the Outcome?

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-financial-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:564:1" rel="noopener">Sony Financial Holdings (8729 JP)</a> (now called Sony Financial Group Inc ("SFGI")) spinoff approaches. It will start trading 20 days from now.</li>
<li>Yesterday, the TSE confirmed approval (<a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/listing/stocks/new/sjcobq000002509n-att/09SonyFinancialGroup-OutlineEN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outline</a>, <a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/listing/stocks/new/sjcobq000002509n-att/09SonyFinancialGroup-1s.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Securities Report</a> (J), <a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/listing/stocks/new/sjcobq000002509n-att/09SonyFinancialGroup-cg.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corporate Governance Report</a> (J). The company provided details of a possible ToSTNeT-3 buyback on Day 2 pre-open. That complicates things.</li>
<li>The introduction of that type of buyback flexibility indicates that supply overhang may be managed better than buyers would hope. Means other strategies may be necessary.</li>
</ul>


The Sony Financial Holdings (8729 JP) (now called Sony Financial Group Inc ("SFGI")) spinoff approaches. It will start trading 20 days from now.
Yesterday, the TSE confirmed approval (outline, Securities Report (J), Corporate Governance Report (J). The company provided details of a possible ToSTNeT-3 buyback on Day 2 pre-open. That complicates things.
The introduction of that type of buyback flexibility indicates that supply overhang may be managed better than buyers would hope. Means other strategies may be necessary.


[Japan Event/Buyback] The Sony Financial Spinoff - 'Maybe' BUYBACK Complicates Planning

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shift-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7266:1" rel="noopener">Shift Inc (3697 JP)</a> will replace <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citizen-watch-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8571:1" rel="noopener">Citizen Watch (7762 JP)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> after the close of trading on 30 September.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baycurrent-consulting-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25985:1" rel="noopener">BayCurrent Consulting</a>'s PAF will double from 0.5 to 1 and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-financial-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:564:1" rel="noopener">Sony Financial Holdings (8729 JP)</a> will be deleted from the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">NKY INDEX</a> following the spin-off from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony Corp (6758 JP)</a>. </li>
<li>The index committee has decided not to add <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric</a> to the index despite the stock ranking within the top 75. The deletion of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citizen-watch-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8571:1" rel="noopener">Citizen Watch</a> points to sector balance.</li>
</ul>



Shift Inc (3697 JP) will replace Citizen Watch (7762 JP) in the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) after the close of trading on 30 September.

BayCurrent Consulting's PAF will double from 0.5 to 1 and Sony Financial Holdings (8729 JP) will be deleted from the NKY INDEX following the spin-off from Sony Corp (6758 JP). 
The index committee has decided not to add Kokusai Electric to the index despite the stock ranking within the top 75. The deletion of Citizen Watch points to sector balance.


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Shift (3697) Replaces Citizen Watch (7762); Kokusai Electric (6525)👎

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Nicholas Tan

APAC IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/metaplanet-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2130:1" rel="noopener">Metaplanet (3350 JP)</a> is looking to raise around US$1bn from a primary placement.</li>
<li>The deal is a relatively small one, representing 4.8 days of the stock’s three month ADV, despite being 22.8% of total shares outstanding.</li>
<li>In this note, we look at Metaplanet and its peers.</li>
</ul>



Metaplanet (3350 JP) is looking to raise around US$1bn from a primary placement.
The deal is a relatively small one, representing 4.8 days of the stock’s three month ADV, despite being 22.8% of total shares outstanding.
In this note, we look at Metaplanet and its peers.


Metaplanet Placement: A Look at Other Treasury Play Issuances and Performance

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

FineToday Holdings / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>CVC Capital is aiming to raise over US$500m, via selling some of its stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/finetoday-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44092:1" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP)</a>in Japan.</li>
<li>FineToday (FT) is a beauty and personal care company in Asia offering a range of products, including hair care, skin care and body care products.</li>
<li>In our previous note, we looked at the company’s past performance. In this note, we will undertake a peer comparison.</li>
</ul>


CVC Capital is aiming to raise over US$500m, via selling some of its stake in FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP)in Japan.
FineToday (FT) is a beauty and personal care company in Asia offering a range of products, including hair care, skin care and body care products.
In our previous note, we looked at the company’s past performance. In this note, we will undertake a peer comparison.


FineToday Pre-IPO - Peer Comparison and Thoughts on Valuation

Japan

Sony Corporation manufactures audio, home video game consoles, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.  The Company's other businesses include music, pictures, computer entertainment, and online businesses.

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Sony Corp (6758 JP)

Bank of Japan’s Rate Decision on Sept 19: Does Timing Signal the Outcome?

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) will announce its monetary policy decision on Friday, 19 September 2025. The BoJ announces its decisions flexibly, usually...

Gaudenz Schneider

[Japan Event/Buyback] The Sony Financial Spinoff - 'Maybe' BUYBACK Complicates Planning

SFGI (8729 JP) spinoff is now TSE-approved. Sony board approved last week. This is a go. Index impact mostly known. We wait on M. SFGI's TN-3 news...

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Shift (3697) Replaces Citizen Watch (7762); Kokusai Electric (6525)👎

SHIFT will replace Citizen Watch in the NKY at the close on 30 Sep. Baycurrent's PAF increases from 0.5 to 1. Sony Financial will be sold on 29...

Brian Freitas

Metaplanet Placement: A Look at Other Treasury Play Issuances and Performance

Metaplanet is looking to raise around US$1bn from a primary placement. In this note, we look at Metaplanet and its peers.

Nicholas Tan

FineToday Pre-IPO - Peer Comparison and Thoughts on Valuation

FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP) Japan is said to be looking to reboot its listings plans after having shelved its 2024 listing attempt.

Sumeet Singh

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