from July 25 Nikkei

日本、首位企業も劣勢　２０１０年世界シェア調査　響く円高　中韓台頭　国内１０品目で首位交代

The Nihon Shimbun has compiled and released on Sunday the data of the 2010 survey of shares of major products and services. According to the data, in terms of the world shares of 32 products Japanese firms are ranked top in 10 products, which is one more than previous year. However, in 6 products Japanese firms decreased their shares. The number of Japanese firms ranked within the top five position declined to 50 from 52 of previous year. Meanwhile, the number of Chinese firms ranked best five increased to 14 from 10, and in Soth Korean firms it increased to 19 from 18. It is clear that Japanese firms were weighed down by higher yen. But Chinese and South Korean firms advanced over the period.

According to the domestic share survey results released at the same time, in 10 products there was a change of top ranked firm.

from July 26 Nikkei

電力５社　２兆円燃料費　原発停止で今期　赤字相次ぐ公算　料金への転嫁困難

Due to suspension of many nuclear power plant reactors, fuel costs are soaring in the utility firms.
As they transfer their production to thermal power generation, purchasing costs for crude oil and others have increase. Then, looking into the top five utilities( firms of Tokyo,Kansai, Chubu, Tohoku and Kyushu), estimated fuel cost of five firms combined in the business term ending at March 30, 2012 is up about 2 trillion yen compared with the previous term. This figure is more than their recurring profit combined. However it is regarded to be very difficult for them to immediately transfer the cost to the utility charges.

from July 27 Nikkei

東電リストラ　大型データセンター売却　１０００億円超　賠償資金を捻出　リクルート株も対象に

The outline of property restructuring plan Tokyo Electric Power Co. is to submit to the government by this autumn was made public on Tuesday. Under the plan, TEPCO will sell a data center business its subsidiary is now operating for more than 100 billion yen. Another measure is selling stocks of information-related companies like Recruit co.. this is because they want to secure necessary funds for compensations for the victims affected by the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant accident following the March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

from July 29 Nikkei

米債務問題　世界が緊張　国債格下げを意識　　日経平均１万円割れ　保証料率最高に　金融機関や企業　備え

More and more people in the world have become concerned about the U.S. debt ceiling problem.
Conscious of a possibility that U.S.Treasurey bonds would be downgraded, all market players are now alert to the worst scenario.Under these circumstances, the Nikkei Stock Average plunged below the 10,000 yen threshold. And the credit guarantee rates for the Treasury bonds have risen to the record-highs.

from yesterday's Nikkei

復興基本方針を政府決定　増税１０兆円明記できず　３次補正難航必至　民主は反対大勢、大幅譲歩

The government decided Friday the basic policy for restoring from the Great East Japan Earthquake under which additional 13 trilion yen will be invested over the next 5 years. However, as to the sources of funds, they could not concretely stipulate a temporary tax hike of 10 trillion yen consisting of the hikes of income tax, corparate tax and consumption tax, which has been discussed. Instead, they only stipulate provisional tax measures should be done. In the process of compiling the third fiscal 2011 supplementary budget,discussion of whetehr to increase some taxes rate is inevitable. Then a rough passage or twists and turns seem to be seen.