Japan’s representative stock index, the Nikkei Stock Average (Nikkei Index), broke its all-time high for the first time in 34 years and 2 months. It has been a whopping 12,473 days since the closing price (38,915 yen) on December 29, 1989, during the ‘bubble economy’ period.
However, the Korean stock market, which is mired in the ‘Korea discount’ (undervaluation of the Korean stock market), shows a sluggish trend, creating a contrast. On this day, KOSPI closed at 2,664.27, up 0.41% from the previous trading day. So far this year, while the Nikkei stock average has soared 16.85%, KOSPI has risen only 0.33%. Last year, the annual growth rate gap between the Nikkei average stock price (42.11%) and KOSPI (8.69%) reached 33.42% points.
In the Tokyo stock market on the 22nd, the Nikkei index closed at 39,098.68 yen, up 2.19% (836.52 yen) from the previous day. At a securities company call center in Kabutocho, Tokyo, where financial companies are concentrated, as the record-breaking record approached, employees gathered together and looked at the monitor and counted down “3, 2, 1.” When the record-high was reached in the afternoon, employees shouted “Congratulations” and clapped.
The Japanese stock market continued to slump in the 1990s as the bubble economy collapsed. In March 2009, the year after the 2008 global financial crisis, it fell to 7,054 yen. However, after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in 2012, he implemented ‘Abenomics’, a large-scale financial easing policy, laying the foundation for the rise in stock prices. In particular, the performance of major export companies, including automobiles, has improved significantly recently as the yen-dollar exchange rate has been prolonged for a long time, fluctuating between 150 yen per dollar. Due to the artificial intelligence (AI) craze, the stock prices of semiconductor equipment companies are continuing to rise. There were also reports that the net profit forecast for Japanese listed companies in the first quarter of 2024 (January to March) will increase by 13% compared to the fourth quarter of last year.
In addition, as concerns about the Chinese economy, including the insolvent real estate market, grew, a large number of foreign investment funds left the Chinese stock market and headed to Japan, which also contributed to the rise in stock prices. In addition, funds from individual investors also flowed into the stock market due to the government’s tax-saving policies, such as the implementation of the New Small Investment Assessment System (NISA). Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said, “The size and liquidity of the stock market have grown significantly compared to 30 years ago,” and added, “We will continue efforts to improve the mid- to long-term growth potential of listed companies and increase the attractiveness of the stock market.”
Some say that the Nikkei index has ample room for further upside. There are many opinions that, unlike the stock market boom during the bubble economy, the recent boom is based on ‘good corporate performance’. Seiji Nakata, President of Daiwa Securities, said of the new report on this day, “It is evidence that the Japanese economy has changed significantly in many ways,” and added, “If the good corporate performance continues until the end of the year, the Nikkei index will rise to 43,000 yen.” expected.
Domestic experts also added similar opinions. Jeong Seong-tae, a researcher at Samsung Securities, said, “In a situation where most countries are raising interest rates, only Japan is maintaining zero interest rates, and the weakening yen phenomenon has accelerated, and corporate profits have increased significantly.” He added, “In particular, companies related to AI, semiconductors, and automobiles have seen strong performance.” “It stood out,” he explained.
Choi Bo-won, senior researcher at Korea Investment & Securities, said, “The effects of the ‘low price-to-book ratio (PBR)’ policy to increase companies’ shareholder return rates began to be reflected in stock prices last year, and NISA is further strengthening the tax exemption system from this year. “As it was implemented, dividend stocks also rose, boosting the stock market,” he analyzed.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.