Japan's top drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co <4502.T> posted a 4.8 percent fall in first-half operating profit as currency losses and worries over a call for new warnings on its top-selling diabetes pill Actos offset higher revenue from treatments recently launched at home.
Asian shares rose more than 2 percent and the euro steadied Friday on hopes that Greece will abandon a proposed referendum on a European Union bailout, but investors remained cautious over a confidence vote planned in the Greek Parliament.
Greece's prime minister won the backing of his Cabinet Wednesday to hold a referendum on a 130 billion euro bailout package but will find the stunned euro zone leaders who engineered the deal last week harder to convince.
Asian shares fell and the euro stuck near 3-week lows against the dollar on Wednesday, as investors shed riskier assets after Greece's shock call for a referendum stoked fears about the viability of a European debt deal struck just last week.
The Nikkei share average fell nearly 2 percent Wednesday after overseas shares skidded on Greece's surprise call for a referendum on a European bailout plan that investors had hoped would be the solution to the region's sovereign debt woes.
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou fought off a barrage of criticism to win the backing of his Cabinet Wednesday to push ahead with a speedy referendum on the European debt bailout deal.
The Nikkei stock average ended lower on Monday, giving up sharp intraday gains made after Japanese authorities intervened to curb persistent yen strength, as investors locked in profits on concerns the yen won't stay down for long.
Asian shares fell Monday and commodities slipped as the dollar spiked to a three-month high against the yen following Japan's intervention, prompting investors to book profits after last week's rally.
The Nikkei average edged lower, giving up sharp morning gains made after Japanese authorities intervened to curb persistent yen strength as investors locked in profits on concerns the yen won't stay down for long.
Japan's Sony Corp., struggling with a loss-making television business, is considering dissolving its liquid-crystal-display joint venture with South Korea's Samsung Electronics in a bid to cut costs, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
Asian shares declined on Wednesday ahead of a key meeting of European policymakers later in the session, with concerns heightening that the outcome to contain Europe's sovereign debt crisis could fall short of expectations.
Asian shares declined Wednesday ahead of a key meeting of European policymakers later in the session, as investors feared the effort to contain Europe's sovereign debt crisis could fall short.
Asian shares inched up while the euro clung to overnight gains on Friday, but markets largely stayed within range, as investors awaited a weekend meeting of European leaders for signs of progress in resolving the region's debt crisis.
European stock index futures jumped on Wednesday, tracking a rise in Asian shares, but a cut to Spain's sovereign credit rating from Moody's Investors Service kept investors' risk appetite in check.
A rebound in Hong Kong and Shanghai shares helped lift most Asian stocks into positive territory Wednesday, but concerns that Europe's debt crisis has hurt confidence in the global economy and is weighing on corporate earnings limited gains.
Asian shares rose Thursday as optimism over Europe's efforts to aid the euro zone's financial sector and U.S. data suggesting the economy could avoid recession spurred short-covering and value-hunting.
Asian stocks edged higher and a rally in the euro stalled on Wednesday, as investors looked for more signs that European leaders were tackling a debt crisis that threatens the financial system before committing bolder market bets
Jun Azumi, Tokyo’s finance minister, warned that Eurozone members need to come up with a rational, workable plan to alleviate global fears.
Asian shares rose on Tuesday on hopes that euro zone officials will act to corral Greece's debt woes and prevent another full-blown banking crisis, but the euro failed to hold on to all its gains.
Foreign equities tumbled largely in response to the Federal Reserve’s grim warning about the state of the U.S. economy.
As the U.S. economy slouches toward another recession and confidence in policymakers erodes, investors are coming to grips with the notion that the country may already be several years into a Japan-style lost decade.
Asian stocks bounced on Thursday after tentative steps by euro zone policymakers to tackle a crippling debt crisis, but investors remained wary that obstacles the bloc's leaders face could weigh on the euro and Asian currencies in the medium term.
