
Japan to Sound Out Market Players on Tweaks to Bond Issuance
Japan's Finance Ministry will seek feedback from market players later Friday over its planned reductions to super-long bond issuance as it takes steps to quell market turbulence.
The ministry will hold a meeting with primary dealers at 4 p.m. in Tokyo to discuss recent market developments and its issuance plans. A draft of its revised bond plan seen by Bloomberg showed that authorities will propose cutting issuance of 20-, 30- and 40-year bonds by ¥100 billion ($690 million) each per auction through March 2026. To offset the reduction in sales of longer maturities, the ministry is looking to increase issuance of 2-year and shorter-dated debt, the plan showed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Why Cash Is Still King for Many in Singapore
Billions of dollars zip all around the world over computer screens in Singapore. But in this unsuspecting corner at the heart of the city, cash is still king. (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tencent Music Shares Double on Break From China Price Cut Script
(Bloomberg) -- China tech investors weary of the nation's relentless price competition can look to one pocket that's thriving by moving in the opposite direction: online music. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports How E-Scooters Conquered (Most of) Europe Hong Kong-listed shares of Tencent Music Entertainment Group and smaller rival NetEase Cloud Music Inc. have more than doubled since the end of 2023, outperforming most Chinese internet peers. That's come as they shift to focus on monetization of their loyal user bases while beefing up their podcast and live event offerings. Tencent Music has notched four-straight quarters of growth in revenue per paying user by successfully driving subscribers to more expensive plans. That's a refreshing break from the frequent headlines on deep price cuts for EVs and e-commerce that has sparked volatility in China tech stocks in recent years. 'Music is becoming more important to the lives of young people in China, and you're not going to just save one or two yuan to abandon all your playlists and jump to another platform,' said Ivan Su, an analyst at Morningstar Inc. 'The monthly subscription price — which costs about the same as a cup of coffee — is very low.' The Chinese online music industry has consolidated over the past few years, leaving the units of Tencent Holdings Ltd. and NetEase Inc. in a virtual duopoly. Spotify is blocked by a firewall in China. Tencent Music is the leader with about 555 million monthly active users as of the end of March, some 22% of which were paid subscribers. That compares with a paid penetration rate of around 40% for Spotify. One of the key planks of Tencent Music's monetization strategy is its Super Premium VIP tier, where users pay roughly $4 per month for exclusive content plus early access to special artist merchandise and live events. Subscribers pay about $2 for a basic monthly subscription. The percentage of premium members relative to all paying users could rise to 19% in 2027 from 12% this year, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts including Lincoln Kong wrote in a note this week. The bank added they expect 10% growth in average revenue per paid user this year and high-single digits for 2026 onward. Like Spotify, Tencent Music is also making moves into other services. This month it announced a plan to buy Chinese podcasting startup Ximalaya, and in May it disclosed its purchase of a stake in South Korean K-pop agency SM Entertainment Co. 'There are a lot of innovative ways for the leading players to monetize their users, and all of these are very affordable items in this environment,' said Agnes Ng, a portfolio specialist at T. Rowe Price Group Inc. 'With only two major players left in the market, competition is very benign and market share is stable.' Morningstar's Su said that NetEase Cloud's stock has outperformed as it 'turned profitable a lot quicker than people expected.' On the other hand Tencent Music has a 'much more robust content library,' with a broader user base. The subsector's big gains have made the stocks somewhat pricier. Tencent Music shares are trading at 21 times forward earnings estimates, above their three-year average but well below Spotify's nearly 60 times. NetEase Cloud Music is at 24 times. Tencent Music's valuations 'still look attractive, particularly when compared to Spotify,' while content-related stocks overall have been enjoying a premium due to lower exposure to tariffs, said Kevin Net, head of Asian equities at Financiere de L Echiquier. 'I think investors like its 70%+ market share in an underpenetrated market, with potential for price increases.' Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? How a Tiny Middleman Could Access Two-Factor Login Codes From Tech Giants ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Imax China CEO on Tariffs, Ne Zha 2 Impact
Imax China is aggressively adding screens across the country, betting on big local and US productions to boost its sales. Partner Wanda Film, China's largest movie exhibitor, is planning to replace 27 premium format screens with Imax's larger high-tech jumbo screens. In a wide-ranging conversation, Bloomberg's Stephen Engle discusses the impact of the trade war and Ne Zha 2 with CEO Daniel Manwaring. (Source: Bloomberg)