WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

DFJ

Market cap $389M

Japan's central bank could look past Middle East uncertainty and raise interest rates if inflation becomes a bigger threat to the economy than the risk of slowing growth, Gov. Kazuo Ueda said.

The UK's blue-chip index advanced on Tuesday, supported by gains in mining-related shares as base metal prices strengthened, while energy stocks came under pressure following a decline in crude oil. Broader sentiment was also influenced by geopolitical developments, including renewed expectations of progress in US–Iran talks.

The Bank of Japan should provide a clear roadmap for policy normalisation following an anticipated interest rate increase in June to help stabilise the government bond market, according to Arihiro Nagata, global markets chief at Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. Speaking to Reuters, Nagata said he expects the BOJ to raise interest rates at its June 15-16 policy meeting and stressed that the central bank's communication regarding future policy moves will be closely watched by financial markets.

Asian equities fell on Tuesday as doubts over a Middle East ceasefire weighed on risk appetite, offsetting optimism around artificial intelligence funding and potential listings. MSCI's Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan slipped 0.6% after a volatile open.

Japan stock have already had a record run, and one of the largest Wall Street banks believes their rally is far from over yet. Goldman Sachs strategists have raised their 12-month target for the benchmark Topix index to 4,400, indicating potential upside of more than 10% from current levels.

Japan must promote usage of yen-based stablecoins for settlement in Asia and create a legal framework to allow trading of ​crypto exchange-traded funds (ETF), a ruling party panel said in a proposal ‌to the government on Monday.

Some Japanese financial institutions have been granted access to OpenAI's GPT-5.5 model to help strengthen their defences against cyberattacks, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Friday. Katayama described the development as a significant advancement for Japan's financial sector following a meeting in Tokyo with Jason Kwon, OpenAI's chief strategy officer.

Japanese banks are, in a historic shift, competing to shore up their deposit base as lending ​opportunities grow and consumers, seeking to beat inflation, shift their savings into a booming stock market.

Foreign investors continued buying Japanese equities for an eighth consecutive week through May 23, supported by easing oil prices and growing optimism around artificial intelligence-related shares. According to data released by Japan's Ministry of Finance on Thursday, foreign investors purchased a net 1.08 trillion yen ($6.77 billion) worth of Japanese stocks during the week ended May 23.

Japan Investment Corp (JIC), a state-backed fund, is considering ‌selling JSR, two people familiar with the matter said, two years after it took the maker of chipmaking materials private in a $6 billion deal.