Nikkei average starts with 3 consecutive days of decline, with selling pressure due to yen strength and weak US stocks.

Top News
US foreign exchange market summary: Softening to the mid-150 yen level for the first time in about a month.
In the New York foreign exchange market on the 27th, the dollar-yen exchange rate closed at around 151.09 yen per dollar, down about 2.00 yen from the previous day, showing a weaker dollar and stronger yen. The euro was trading at around 159.66 yen per euro, down about 90 yen against the yen. The continued selling of the dollar and buying of the yen in response to President-elect Trump's announced policy of strengthening tariffs and concerns about the impact on the world economy. In addition, selling of the dollar and buying of the yen against the euro due to ECB Executive Board member Schnabel's cautious stance on excessive interest rate cuts also led to selling of the dollar against the yen.
Related Articles
【Today's Outlook】A wait-and-see mood is spreading.

Yomiuri Shimbun to launch a new stock index in March.
Yomiuri Shimbun, boasting the largest circulation in Japan, has revealed plans to introduce a new stock price index in March next year. The aim is to offer investors an alternative to the major stock price indexes, the Nikkei Stock Average and the Tokyo Stock Exchange Group's TOPIX. The new stock price index consists of 333 listed companies in Japan, called the "Yomiuri Stock Price Index," or simply "Yomiuri 333." The company plans to evenly distribute the inclusion ratios of each stock in the index. Although this equal weighted method has been in the financial industry for many years, it is generally not widely adopted.

Seven & i Holdings rose for the third consecutive day. Five major domestic banks have reportedly begun considering financing for the acquisition proposal by the company's founding family. According to the article, the acquisition is said to require a total of 9 trillion yen, and the founding family has requested cooperation not only from the main three megabanks, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
$Seven & i Holdings (3382.JP)$Rose for the third consecutive day. According to Kyodo News on the 27th, it was reported that Japan's top five banks have started considering financing for the proposed acquisition of the company by the founding family. The acquisition is said to require a total of 9 trillion yen, and it seems that the founding family has also requested cooperation from banks other than the main three megabanks such as Sumitomo Mitsui Bank.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group soared significantly amid reports of an acquisition by NTT DoCoMo. The Weekly Bunshun digital edition reported on the 28th that the market is viewing the news of NTT DoCoMo, a subsidiary of the NTT Group, preparing for an acquisition.
$SBI Sumishin Net Bank (7163.JP)$Rose significantly. Shukan Bunshun's online edition reported on the 28th that $Nippon Telegraph & Telephone (9432.JP)$NTT DoCoMo, a subsidiary of the NTT Group, being reported to be heading for acquisition is seen as a significant development.

Nippon Steel rebounded for the first time in four days. The Nikkei reported that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sent a letter to President Biden requesting approval for the acquisition plan involving the acquisition of U.S. steel giant US Steel by the company.
$Nippon Steel (5401.JP)$Rose for the first time in four days. In the morning edition of the Nikkei newspaper on the 28th, it was reported that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had sent a letter to U.S. President Biden requesting approval for the acquisition plan of the U.S. steel giant, US Steel, by the company. According to the article, the letter noted the strengthened Japan-U.S. alliance under the Biden administration and requested approval for the acquisition plan to avoid overshadowing the achievements of the past four years.

Toyota is facing conflicting views on strength and weakness, with speculation of yen appreciation and tariff strengthening posing headwinds. With a PBR below 1, there are expectations of buying on dips.
$Toyota Motor (7203.JP)$There is a conflict of views near 2600 yen, with buying and selling intertwining, but the balance slightly tilts towards buying. In the short term, while US long-term interest rates show a decreasing trend, in the foreign exchange market speculations of narrowing yield differentials between Japan and the US have accelerated movements of dollar selling and yen buying, driving the yen to temporarily reach the 150 yen per dollar level.

Nitori HD has risen for 5 consecutive days. The yen's appreciation temporarily pushed the dollar to the mid-150 yen level, benefiting stocks sensitive to yen strength.
$Nitori Holdings (9843.JP)$Nitori has been on the rise for 5 days due to yen appreciation being well received. On the 27th in the New York foreign exchange market, the yen appreciated temporarily to the mid-150 yen level against the dollar. Currently, it is at the mid-151 yen level, showing yen appreciation compared to the previous day's closing in the Tokyo market. With the yen's appreciation, there are expectations of profit improvement due to reduced import costs, leading to buying of the company's shares. $Kobe Bussan (3038.JP)$Is showing a buying indication at the start, $Seria (2782.JP)$Is rising.