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iShares MSCI Japan Index ETF

5/20/2013, 5:59 PM ET

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Monday, May 20, 11:54 AM Maybe the best synthetic way to play the dramatic changes in Japan (yen down, stocks up) is U.S. ETF provider WisdomTree (WETF). It's up 2.5% today - pushing its YTD gain to nearly 125% - as its Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) moves past $10B in AUM. The once-tiny fund has received about $7B in inflows this year and now threatens EWJ ($12.26B AUM) for dominance in the Japan ETF space. 2 Comments [Financials, On the Move]
Monday, May 20, 4:57 AM The Japanese economy is slowly improving, the government says, pointing to evidence that exports and factory output are beginning to show signs of life. The upgraded economic assessment is the first upbeat report in two months. Additionally, Reuters Tankan survey showed a sixth consecutive month of improving manufacturer sentiment in Japan, as exporters cheer the weak yen. The index printed at 7, the first positive read in more than a year. The country's Economics Minister says the stage is set for a "V-shaped recovery." The rosy outlook was enough to boost the Nikkei (EWJ, DXJ)) 1.47% on the session. Comment!
Friday, May 17, 4:49 PM The week's ETF movers - Gainers: TAN +9.6%. XLF +3.7%. UNG +3.4%. GAZ +3.2%. EWJ +3.0%.
ETF Losers: GDXJ -14.2%. GDX -11.5%. PSLV -7.3%. SLV -6.9%. SIVR -6.7%. 1 Comment [On the Move]
Thursday, May 16, 2:44 PM It's Japan and then there's everything else. Of the top 2013 gainers in assets among ETFs, the Japan Hedged Equity Fund (DXJ) and MSCI Japan Fund (EWJ) have brought in nearly $12B, about equal to the next 5 combined. If we're talking flows as a percentage of AUM, the rush into Japan funds is even more impressive. The low-volatility sector stands out as well with the USMV garnering $2.5B against a previous base of just $1.1B. Comment!
Thursday, May 16, 6:26 AM Unexpectedly weak capital spending marred an otherwise decent Japan GDP report, weighing on the Nikkei (EWJ, DXJ), which fell 0.39% but still held onto the 15,000 level. The yen (FXY) was firm against the dollar for most of session, trading around ¥102, but has since lost ground, falling 0.40% to ¥102.60. Comment!
Wednesday, May 15, 3:26 PM The Japanese bull market is too big of a deal to try and get cute, says Jeff Gundlach (video), advising not to try and time a market up 66% in 6 months. If QE is your reason for owning U.S. stocks, he says, why not pile into Japan (EWJ) where the asset purchase program is far larger? Maybe as leveraged as anything to the Japanese bull market is American ETF provider WisdomTree (WETF +3.5%), more than doubling this year as its hedged Japan equity fund (DXJ) reels in billions in assets. 4 Comments [Global & FX]
Wednesday, May 15, 7:32 AM The Nikkei (EWJ, DXJ) soared another 2.3% overnight to top 15K for the first time since 2007 as the yen (FXY) slid 0.3% to a new multi-year low of ¥102.65. Leading was Sony (SNE), up 10% following Dan Loeb's push for a breakup. Toyota (TM) paced the exporters with a 3.7% gain. JGBs (JGBL) were calm, the yield on the 10-year flat at 0.86%. 4 Comments [Global & FX, On the Move]
Tuesday, May 14, 10:42 AM "Contrarians should start buying emerging markets (EEM, DEM, VWO) and think about global energy (XLE) and material companies (XLB) and commodities (DBC)," says BAML's John Bilton, noting a "marked uptick" in concern about China (FXI, CAF) in his firm's latest fund manger survey. One-in-four now consider a Chinese hard landing as the biggest risk to their investment. Where respondents are not fearful? Japan (EWJ, DXJ). (previous) 4 Comments [Global & FX, Commodities]
Tuesday, May 14, 7:21 AM An early look at the BAML May fund manager survey shows hedge fund equity exposure (VTI) at the highest in 7 years, +45%. Commodity exposure (DBC) is a negative 29%. Cash is at 4.3%. Sectors: It's a record-low exposure to energy (XLE) at -17%. Japan (EWJ, DXJ) at +31% is the highest in 7 years. 1 Comment
Monday, May 13, 4:56 AM The yen (FXY) continues its slide , falling to a new four-and-a-half year low against the dollar, helping the Nikkei (NKY) post another triple-digit gain on the session, rising 1.2% to 14782, its highest level since January 2008. The weak yen comes on the heels of the G7's reportedly amicable meeting over the weekend, at which officials were generally supportive of the BOJ's policies and reiterated that Japan's goal is to fight deflation not engage in the targeting of exchange rates. 4 Comments [Global & FX]
Sunday, May 12, 9:49 PM In Japan, the Nikkei (NKY) scales yet another new five-year high, rising 1.39% ahead of key Chinese economic data. Comment!
Friday, May 10, 4:37 AM For the first time since April of 2009, the yen (FXY) fell through the 100-level against the dollar, helping the Nikkei rally nearly 3% on the session and almost 7% on the week. Japanese equities (EWJ) are now trading at levels last seen in January of 2008. Japanese capital flows data finally showed what many had been waiting for since BOJ Governor Kuroda's shot across the bow at deflation: an outflow, as Japanese investors became net buyers of foreign bonds. 6 Comments [Global & FX]
Wednesday, May 8, 4:33 AM Fears that flagging demand in the U.S. and Europe would weigh heavily on China's trade data didn't play out, as exports grew 14.7% in April, helping the country swing to a surplus of $18.16B after posting a slight deficit in March. The data surprised analysts, even as some say the numbers may be inflated: "This probably reflects some overinvoicing [as] it was inconsistent with cargo volumes," one economist tells WSJ. Nevertheless, the data serves to buoy regional markets as the Nikkei (NKY) continues its ascent in Japan, rising 0.74% to yet another new five-year record high. Comment! [Global & FX]
Tuesday, May 7, 4:37 AM In Japan, stocks (EWJ) come off a long weekend well-rested and promptly rally to near five-year highs as the Nikkei surges 3.55% on the back of Friday's strong U.S. jobs data. Meanwhile, Australia's central bank cut rates by 25 basis points, sending the aussie (FXA) down 0.6% to two month lows against the dollar. 5 Comments
Friday, May 3, 8:20 AM "Long Japan, Short Rwanda," is the title of a report from BAML suggesting the emerging market debt sector (EMB) is getting a bit frothy. Rwanda last week sold $400M of 10-year notes priced to yield 6.87%. The amount represents 5.5% of the country's GDP and the deal was 10x oversubscribed. Better bets, says the report, are Japanese equities (EWJ, DXJ) and U.S. housing (XHB). Comment! [Global & FX]
Monday, April 22, 2:55 PM The rally in Japanese equities is just getting started, Morgan Creek's Mark Yusko told a Grant's conference last week. Stocks there remain cheap by any number of metrics and, a bonus, companies have dealt with persistent deflation by relentlessly slashing costs - meaning strong profits on any incremental business. All that's needed is a little growth and "Abenomics" should cure that. DXJ +27.5% YTD. 3 Comments [Global & FX]

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