© Reuters. Sakuradamon Gate of the Imperial Palace stands in front of high-rise buildings in Marunouchi business district in Tokyo, Japan, June 1, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Forty-eight percent of firms polled by Reuters said the Israel-Hamas conflict would affect their earnings negatively, the poll showed, roughly on par with the 49% who expected no particular impact and outstripping the 3% who saw a positive effect. The poll highlighted wider worries about conditions in the Middle East. Among concerns about instability in the Middle East, two-thirds of respondents cited rises in raw material prices other than oil.
The BOJ last week eased its hold on long-term rates by watering down a 1% cap set for the 10-year yield as a reference rather a rigid ceiling.