Japan

Seven & i Holdings, a Japanese company, reported on Wednesday that its fourth-quarter profits dropped by 15%. This could make it more difficult for the company to fend of a hostile takeover bid from Alimentation Couche-Tard in Canada. The earnings of the 7-Eleven convenience store operator came in slightly better than expected, but it was the fourth consecutive quarter that profits declined. Inflation has increased the price of materials in Japan and utility costs. The country also lags behind its competitors in terms of attracting customers who are price-conscious. Executives noted that the uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs...

The oil price fell to its lowest level in four years on Wednesday, in the worst five-day loss streak in three year. Several commodities, such as base metals, also tumbled, as the trade conflict between China and the U.S. intensifies. As global recession fears gripped the financial markets, stocks in Asia continued to fall on Wall Street. U.S. president Donald Trump appeared set to impose a whopping 104% duty on Chinese goods. ANZ released a report that said "Crude Oil extended losses amid signs escalation of the trade war." "Copper is down nearly 10% since Trump announced the reciprocal tariffs...

Seven & i Holdings, a Japanese company, announced on Wednesday that its fourth-quarter profits fell by 15%. This is likely to hinder the ability of Alimentation Couche-Tard to takeover Seven & i Holdings. 7-Eleven's operator booked an operating profit of 105.6 bn yen ($726.4m) during the period December-February, which is slightly higher than the average 94.5 bn yen of eight analyst forecasts compiled by LSEG. Its fourth consecutive quarter saw a decline in profits as inflation levels in Japan and North America impacted consumer spending. It has been hit by price-conscious consumers switching to cheaper competitors in its domestic market....

Seven & i Holdings, a Japanese retailer, is expected to report a 24% decline in its quarterly profit on March 28, as the underperformance of its convenience stores hampers its ability fend off a Canadian takeover bid by Alimentation CoucheTard. Seven & i will likely book an operating profit of 94.45 trillion yen (US$639.52 millions) for the period December-February. This is according to a LSEG average of eight analyst predictions. This compares to 124.23 bn yen for the same period last year. 7-Eleven's profits have fallen in recent quarters, as its domestic convenience stores underperformed their competitors. Its North American...

The plan of convenience store giants Couche-Tard & Seven & i to sell thousands of stores in North America, to reduce regulatory concerns before a possible merger, is being tested by rival bidders. According to several antitrust experts and people who are familiar with the situation, it is likely that the two store operators will struggle to attract offers from other convenience stores chains. They may be wary about their own antitrust risks from a potential deal. Seven & i is the owner of the 7-Eleven chain, which operates more than 12,000 convenience stores in the U.S. Sources said that...

The head of a government funded fund warned that Japan would risk damaging its reputation if it refused to accept a foreign bid worth $47 billion for Seven & i Holdings, a retailer. This was based on the grounds of economic security. Keisuke Yokoo, the head of Japan Investment Company (JIC), said in an interview that his fund is also focused on improving JSR's performance after it bought out JSR last year for $6 billion. JIC was not involved in the Seven & i transaction, but Yokoo’s comments demonstrate that Japan’s business establishment may not be as protectionist as is...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. Chevron agreed to sell 70% of its East Texas Gas assets to TG Natural Resources for $525 Million as part its strategy to optimize the portfolio. Meta executives have asked U.S. officials in charge of trade to take action against a fine that is expected from the European Union and a cease-and-desist letter. SoftBank Group agreed to fund a for profit subsidiary of OpenAI with up to 40 billion dollars, which values the ChatGPT maker to $300...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. SoftBank Group has signed a $6.5 billion deal to buy Ampere Computing Holdings in the United States, a chip company founded by Intel’s former president. The U.S. administration of President Donald Trump is considering a proposal to extend Chevron’s license to extract oil in Venezuela. QXO, a building-products distributor, signed a deal with Beacon Roofing Supply. Beacon is valued at approximately $7.7 billion or $11 billion if debt is included. The cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, which is aiming...

Bloomberg News reported Wednesday that potential buyers of Japan's Seven & i stores and Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) U.S. shops have until the end March to express interest and address any antitrust concerns. Bloomberg News reported that some potential buyers have been involved in the process and signed non-disclosure contracts. ACT, the Canadian company that operates Circle-K convenience shops in Canada and the United States has been attempting to buy Seven & i, the struggling Canadian retailer, since August. The Canadian firm is ready to increase its latest offer of $47 Billion. Seven & i, which opposed the takeover bid,...

Alex Miller, CEO of Alimentation Couche-Tard, said that no non-disclosure agreements had been signed regarding potential stores to be sold by Alimentation Couche-Tard and Japan's Seven & i in order to meet U.S. Antitrust requirements for a deal. Earlier that day, a Seven & i spokeswoman said that the companies signed NDAs early in March. The NDAs only covered stores which are likely to be divestiture candidates. Seven & i has not signed a non-disclosure agreement. Miller stated in a call after earnings that they were working together with Seven & i on a marketing package to show what a...

JX Advanced Metals, the metals division of Japan's biggest oil refiner Eneos, saw its shares rise 6.6% on their Tokyo debut after the largest IPO in Japan since 2018. The shares closed at $874 yen, compared to an IPO price per share of 820 yen. The benchmark index rose 0.5%. LSEG data shows that the IPO raised $2.97bn last week. This is the highest amount in Japan since December 2018 when SoftBank Group floated its telecoms unit, surpassing the Tokyo Metro IPO in October last year. JX Advanced Metals, a leader in the manufacture of sputtering target materials that are...

Trade sources reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia's crude shipments to China, its largest customer, will drop to the lowest level for more than a full year in April. This is partly due to maintenance programs at Sinopec-owned Chinese refineries. Data shows that the OPEC producer, Saudi Arabia, allocated 34 million barrels to its Chinese clients in April, down from 41 millions barrels the previous month. China's drop in demand for Saudi crude oil is despite the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and its allies agreeing to continue with their plan to increase production in April. Sinopec intends...

Fear of the impact of President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on the U.S. economy has caused investors to dump assets in America that they normally favour during times of crisis. Dollar and U.S. Treasuries took a hit as Trump's tariffs plus a duty of 104% on China went into effect. China quickly retaliated. Gold and the Swiss Franc, which are considered safe havens, continue to attract cash. Investors are worried about the rapid rise of U.S. Treasury rates. They fear that this could lead to forced sales in order to cover portfolio losses, and a rush for cash. This brings...

The global trade war, started by U.S. president Donald Trump, has intensified this month, after he announced tariffs on the majority of U.S. imported goods. This sparked fears of a global recession, sent jitters through global financial markets, and drew condemnation from world leaders. Trump announced his plans to increase "reciprocal duties" on several of the United States' largest trading partners on April 2, which he called "Liberation Day." Tariffs of 10% were in effect from April 5 to 9, while higher reciprocal rates would be implemented on April 9. The new U.S. trade barriers are the highest in over...

Toyota plans to develop 15 electric car models on its own before 2027, and will aim to produce 1 million vehicles a year at that time, according the Nikkei paper on Sunday. Toyota refused to comment on the matter, stating that the information had not been announced by the company. Nikkei reported that Toyota produces only five EVs, all of which are developed by itself, and are manufactured in Japan and China. The Nikkei said that expanding production to the United States and Thailand can reduce delivery times and help mitigate tariff and exchange rate risks. Business daily Nikkei reported...

Six sources involved in the pricing discussions said that the premium for aluminium shipped to Japanese buyers from April to June is $182 per metric ton. This is a 20% drop compared to the current quarter as domestic demand remains weak. This is a lower figure than the $228 paid per ton in January-March and marks the first quarterly decrease in five quarters. However, it is still below the initial offers made by global producers of $245-$260 per ton. Japan is the largest Asian importer for premiums and light metals For primary metal shipments, it agrees to each quarter pay...

The gold demand in India was sluggish due to record-high prices, and jewellers busy closing their accounts for the year. Most other Asian hubs saw a similar trend. Harshad Ajmera, a wholesaler at JJ Gold House Kolkata, said that "Jewellers weren't making purchases." India's fiscal year runs from April through March. The domestic gold price hit a new record of 89 796 rupees for 10 grams in the first week of this month. It has risen by nearly 15% since 2025. This week, Indian dealers offered a discount Discounts of up to $33 per ounce on official domestic prices, inclusive...

The announcement by Donald Trump of a 25% auto import tariff sent shockwaves around the globe on Thursday. Global carmakers warned that prices would rise immediately, and dealers expressed concern about job losses in large auto-exporting nations, including many U.S. allies. The new tariffs are expected to lead to a second round of large-scale U.S. duties that will be imposed next week. The auto tariffs could increase the cost of an average vehicle by thousands of dollars in the U.S., and dampen demand further at a moment when the industry is already struggling with the transition to electric vehicles. The...

Donald Trump, who has been threatening new tariffs for weeks on imported vehicles, followed through with his threats on Wednesday. He said that a 25% tax would be imposed on cars not made in the U.S. next week. Trump will add a 25% tariff to previous duties on imported finished vehicles, starting April 3 at 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT). The U.S. base tariff rate on automotive imports is 2.5 percent. The plan to disrupt the auto supply chain and trade sparked uncertainty among investors and customers, and retaliation threats were made. Global auto stocks fell from Asia to America....

Nippon Steel President said Monday that Nippon Steel and the U.S. Government share an understanding that their planned acquisition of U.S. Steel would strengthen the American manufacturing and steel industries. Tadashi Imai, President of Nippon Steel, told reporters that "in my opinion, we and the U.S. Government are moving closer towards a mutual understanding" about how our acquisition will strengthen the U.S. Steel industry and manufacturing by investing, including through equity participation. He declined to give any more details. However, he did say that Japan's largest steelmaker, U.S. Steel, will continue to negotiate with the U.S. Government to reach an...

This week, gold discounts in India reached a record-high of more than eight months as the demand for gold fell after spot prices soared past records. Indian dealers offer a discount Up to $41 per ounce compared to official domestic prices. The domestic gold price hit a record of 89 796 rupees for 10 grams this week. It has risen by over 15% this year. The price is constantly rising. It's reaching new heights every week. "Customers are waiting, just sitting there and watching for a dip," said New Delhi bullion dealer. India's gold exports will drop 85% from the...

The gold discounts in India reached their highest level in almost eight months this week, due to the record-high prices and customers staying away from other major hubs. Jewelers are reporting fewer sales. The rising price of bullion has caused a significant drop in demand. On Thursday, the domestic gold price reached a new record of 87.886 rupees for 10 grams. This week, Indian dealers offered a discount Up to $39 per ounce, including import duties of 6% and sales taxes of 3%, compared to a discount from $10 to $21 the previous week. A Mumbai-based dealer from a bullion...

As major producers around the world prepare for Wednesday's increased tariffs, two major South Korean steelmakers have been evaluating their options to invest in new facilities. They said that the options included investing in operations in the U.S. The U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to increase protection for American producers of steel and aluminum restores global tariffs that are effective at 25% on all metal imports. It also extends these duties to hundreds downstream products, such as nuts and bolts, bulldozers blades and cans. Canada, the largest foreign supplier of aluminium and steel to the U.S.A., Brazil, Mexico, and South...

Mexico is expecting to see a significant increase in the number of companies that are compliant exporting to the U.S., under a regional trading pact, said Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Friday after Washington suspended tariffs on Mexican shipments under the agreement. Ebrard said, in a press conference with President Claudia Sheinbaum that currently, over half of the goods coming from Mexico into the U.S. are compliant to the U.S.MexicoCanada (USMCA), and therefore eligible for the tariff exemption. Announced on Thursday The minister estimated that this figure could rise to between 85% to 90% as companies shift their export practices...