14 February 2002, 08:34 Forex - Yen top-heavy vs dollar in midafternoon Tokyo ahead of Bush visit
TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - The yen turned top-heavy against the dollar in
midafternoon trade after reaching 132.30 as investors turned cautious
ahead of US President George W. Bush's arrival in Tokyo, dealers said.
The yen reached the 132.30 level in afternoon trade on the expected
repatriation by Japanese firms ahead of the end-March fiscal year
closure, as well as hopes that the government will announce more
concrete measures to tackle deflation ahead of Bush's Japan visit, they
said.
Daiwa Bank dealer Kiyotaka Endo said he expects the government will
draft more concrete anti-deflation measures to present to Bush, despite
comments by State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Heizo
Takenaka before Lower House budget committee that the government has no
plan of rushing to work out a deflation package in time for the
US-Japan summit on Sunday.
On the other hand, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said he
expects the Economic and Fiscal Council to meet to discuss deflation
measures earlier than scheduled, without giving an actual date. Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi has earlier asked the Council to work out
the measures by the end of this month.
"I think the government will announce more concrete deflation
measures before the Bush visit, otherwise the US will pressure Japan
more to speed up a plan to revive the economy," Daiwa Bank's Endo said.
Endo said market participants expect the deflation measures will
include capital injection into banks.
"I think it is the main issue -- whether the government will decide
to inject more capital into banks," Endo said.
According to reports, Fukuda has told reporters one of the
possibilities is the inclusion of capital injection in the
anti-deflation package.
Endo said that the dollar/yen rate will move in a narrow range
ahead of Bush's visit.
"And even though the government announces deflation measures before
the Bush visit, I don't think the current dollar/yen range of 132-135
will be broken," because by the time of the announcement, the news will
have been digested by the market, he said.
The euro was little changed against the major currencies on a lack
of fresh leads, dealers said.
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