Stocks, Foreign Exchange, Interest Rates: The Nikkei Average closed slightly lower, the dollar around 153 yen, and government bond futures fell.

<15:33> The Nikkei average at the close edged down slightly, lacking direction ahead of the meetings of the central banks of Japan, the US, and China.
On the Tokyo stock market, the Nikkei average closed trading down slightly at 39,457.49 yen, 12.95 yen lower than the previous trading day. Buying interest was initially driven by the previous week's rise in US high-tech stocks and a weaker yen. However, profit-taking selling gradually capped the upside, leading to a negative turn. There was a lack of direction ahead of the upcoming central bank meetings between Japan and the US during the week.

At 15:00, the dollar was in the range of 153 yen, firm in the high range for the first time in three weeks.
At 3:00 PM, the dollar/yen has been trading around 153 yen in the latter half, almost unchanged from the end of the previous week in the New York market. The scenario where the Bank of Japan's decision to postpone the interest rate hike weighs on the yen remains unchanged, as the dollar briefly rose to 153.97 yen, hitting a three-week high, and then continued to show a firm movement.

Government bond futures fell, with long-term interest rates at 1.065%. Anticipation of a 20-year bond auction led to an increase in ultra-long-term bond yields.
Government bond futures with the focus on the March contract month ended trading down 25 sen from the previous trading day at 142 yen 32 sen. Yields on newly issued 10-year government bonds (long-term interest rates) rose by 3.0 bps to 1.065%. Pressure for adjustment ahead of tomorrow's 20-year bond auction led to a prevailing selling trend in yen-denominated bonds.