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May 11, 2025

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Nikkei 225 forecast: Sony, Softbank, Honda, Rakuten, Mitsui earnings on tap

3 Mins Read

The Nikkei 225 Index has rebounded in the past few weeks as optimism on trade prevailed. After bottoming at ¥30,770 in April, it has surged by over 21%, entering a technical bull market. It is now hovering at its highest level since March 27, making it one of the top-performing indices. 

Japan stocks will be in the spotlight next week as some of the top companies publish their financial results. Historically, the index has had a mixed performance when these firms publish their results. This article highlights some of the top Nikkei Index companies to watch.

Japan earnings season accelerates

The main catalyst for the Nikkei 225 Index next week will be earnings by top companies in the index. 

Some of the top companies that will release their numbers on Monday will be Suzuki Motor, Asahi Group, Shiseido, Kobe Steel, Mazda Motor, and Kansai Paint, Suzuki and Mazda will provide more insights about the impact of tariffs on the industry. 

The top companies to watch on Tuesday will be Softbank, Honda Motor, Resona Holdings, Nissan, and Olympus. On Wednesday, companies like Sony, Sumitomo Mitsui, Nippon Paint, Kyocera, and Isuzu Motors will publish. 

The main Nikkei 225 Index companies that will release their results on Thursday and Friday are Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho Financial, Japan Post. Bridgestone and Yokohama.

Softbank’s stocks will be notable because it is one of the biggest companies in the Nikkei 225 Index. The management will likely be put to the task for investing $40 billion in a single company, OpenAI.

Automakers like Honda, Nissan, and Isuzu will be in the spotlight because of Donald Trump’s tariffs and the impact on their businesses.

US and Japan trade talks

The other catalyst for the Nikkei 225 Index will be any breakthrough in talks between Japan and the United States. Japan wants the US to remove the so-called retaliatory tariffs, which Trump hopes will help to lower the trade deficit. 

Recently released data showed that Japan’s trade surplus to the US surged to over $65 billion for 2025, angering Trump, who believes that deficits are bad for the United States.

A few points have prevented the US from reaching a trade deal with Japan. For example, Japan has resisted US demand for access to its agricultural sector, especially rice. Japan is uncomfortable removing tariffs on imported rice from the US.

Further, Japan is uncomfortable making a substantial commitment to invest in a long-delayed $44 billion LNG project in Alaska. Trump hopes that such an investment would help Japan narrow its trade deficit. 

A trade deal would be a good thing for the Nikkei 225 Index as many companies do a lot of business in the US. 

The Nikkei 225 Index will also react to some Japanese economic numbers. For example, the statistics agency will publish the latest GDP data on Wednesday, showing whether the economy grew or narrowed in the first quarter.

The other top data will be Japan’s industrial production and the producer price index (PPI) report.

Nikkei 225 Index analysis

Nikkei 225 Index | Chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the Nikkei 225 Index bottomed at ¥30,811 in April after Trump unveiled his tariffs against other countries, including Japan. It has jumped above the key resistance level at ¥35,970, its lowest level on March 11.

The index has moved above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) have all pointed upwards. Therefore, the index will likely continue rising as bulls target the key resistance level at ¥40,000, which is about 7.30% above the current level.

The post Nikkei 225 forecast: Sony, Softbank, Honda, Rakuten, Mitsui earnings on tap appeared first on Invezz

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In World news

Crypto Market Recap: Bitcoin Breaks US$100,000, Coinbase Makes US$2.9 Billion Power Play

6 Mins Read

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (May 9) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$103,116 as markets closed for the week, up 2 percent in 24 hours.

The day’s range has seen a low of US$102,526 and a high of US$103,636. After breaking through the US$100,000 threshold on Thursday (May 8), the digital asset has found support.

Bitcoin performance, May 9, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

The crypto market’s surge is attributed to positive geopolitical developments, particularly surrounding a US-UK trade agreement and optimism over upcoming trade talks with China.

A better-than-expected jobs report also reignited institutional interest. Meanwhile, the MOVE index has cooled from its late March-early April spike, encouraging broader risk-taking across financial markets.

On the technical side, Bitcoin’s realized cap has hit an all-time high above US$893 million. Cointelegraph’s Marcel Pechman notes that strong options activity suggests that prices above US$105,000 could fuel further gains. Analyst Egrag Crypto is forecasting a rally to US$170,000, contingent on Bitcoin breaking past its previous all-time high of US$109,000.

However, with Bitcoin’s relative strength index approaching 70, overbought conditions are emerging, and investors are urged to be cautious of short-term volatility.

Ethereum’s (ETH) price surge has outperformed that of Bitcoin and can be attributed to an increase in transactions following Wednesday’s (May 7) Pectra upgrade. ETH’s price has increased by over 25 percent from last week and 42 percent month-on-month. It finished the week at US$2,325.35, a 10 percent increase over 24 hours.

The day’s range saw a low of US$2,288.24 and a high of US$2,372.09.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) closed at US$171.67, up 7.1 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$168.64 and a high of US$172.75.
  • XRP was trading at US$2.35, reflecting a 3.6 percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.33 and a high of US$2.40.
  • Sui (SUI) was priced at US$3.89, showing a decreaseof 0.6 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$3.87 and a high of US$4.03.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7799, up 5.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.7763, and it reached a high of US$0.7953.

Today’s crypto news to know

Coinbase to acquire Deribit in US$2.9 billion crypto derivatives deal

Coinbase has announced plans to acquire Deribit, a leading crypto derivatives exchange, for $2.9 billion — the largest deal in the crypto industry to date. This strategic move positions Coinbase to expand its offerings in the crypto options market, catering to the growing demand for advanced trading products.

The acquisition includes US$700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase Class A common stock.

Deribit, which processed US$1.2 trillion in trading volume last year, controls approximately 85 percent of the global crypto options market. This deal is expected to enhance Coinbase’s presence in the international derivatives market and diversify its revenue streams. Analysts view the acquisition as a significant step for Coinbase to compete with other major exchanges like Binance and Kraken in the derivatives space. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is anticipated to close later this year. Until then, Deribit will continue its operations as usual.

Rumble’s crypto wallet launch and Q1 earnings

Rumble’s (NASDAQ:RUM) CEO confirmed the firm will launch a Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet to compete with the Coinbase Wallet in Q3. The Rumble Wallet will launch in partnership with Tether.

“Our goal is to become the most prominent non-custodial Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet, powering the creator economy,” according to a May 9 (Friday) X post by Chris Pavlovski.

On the earnings front, Rumble reported a net loss of US$2.7 million for Q1 on Thursday, a significant improvement over the US$43 million loss reported in Q1 2024. The company’s revenue of US$23.7 million exceeded analysts’ estimates; however, the firm reported a decrease in monthly active users to 59 million, down from 68 million in Q4 2024.

Rumble opened 2.44 percent higher on Friday (May 9) and closed the week with a gain of over 17 percent.

Meta’s potential stablecoin integration

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is reportedly in discussions with cryptocurrency enterprises regarding the potential implementation of stablecoins for select, smaller-scale creator disbursements.

Five informed sources told Fortune that the corporation has engaged in consultative deliberations with multiple cryptocurrency infrastructure providers, albeit without having yet settled upon a definitive strategic approach.

An insider suggests that the entity may adopt a multi-token framework, encompassing the integration of established stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt and Circle’s USD Coin, amongst other alternatives.

This news comes the day after Democratic lawmakers withdrew support for the GENIUS Act after concerns arose over the lucrative crypto dealings of companies tied to US President Donald Trump. The bill stalled on the floor of the Senate, prompting a public statement from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

“This bill represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand dollar dominance and US influence in financial innovation. Without it, stablecoins will be subject to a patchwork of state regulations instead of a streamlined federal framework.’

Celsius founder sentenced to 12 years for crypto fraud

Alex Mashinsky, founder and former CEO of Celsius Network, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for defrauding customers and manipulating the price of the company’s CEL token.

Between 2018 and 2022, Mashinsky misled investors about the safety of their funds, using customer deposits to inflate CEL’s value and personally profiting over US$48 million. Celsius, which once managed over US$25 billion in assets, collapsed in 2022 amid a broader crypto market downturn, leaving thousands of users unable to access their funds.

SEC considers crypto exemptions

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is “considering a potential exemptive order” to let crypto firms bypass requirements to register as a broker-dealer, clearing agency exchange to issue, trade and settle securities. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce made the announcement in a speech published on Thursday.

Companies would still be expected to comply with rules to prevent fraud and market manipulation and may also need to meet certain disclosure and recordkeeping requirements.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Business

Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout, pulls outlook

3 Mins Read

Krispy Kreme stock plunged 24% on Thursday morning after the doughnut chain said it is “reassessing” its rollout with McDonald’s and pulled its full-year outlook in part due to economic “softness.”

Krispy Kreme is not planning to launch its doughnuts in any additional McDonald’s locations in the second quarter, suspending a nationwide rollout. As of March 30, more than 2,400 of the burger chain’s roughly 13,500 domestic locations carried Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

“I remain confident in the long-term national opportunity, but we need to work together with them to identify levers to improve sales,” Krispy Kreme CEO Josh Charlesworth said.

Over the last year, Krispy Kreme shares have shed more than 70% of their value, dragging the company’s market value down to less than $600 million.

Truist downgraded the stock on Thursday from buy to hold.

“We are shocked by the speed at which the story fell apart,” Truist analyst Bill Chappell wrote. ”… We no longer have high conviction in management’s previously stated strategy and execution of these initiatives, and it will likely take several quarters before we or investors can regain confidence.”

The two restaurant companies announced more than a year ago that Krispy Kreme doughnuts would be sold in all McDonald’s U.S. locations by the end of 2026. The rollout began roughly six months ago.

While the beginning phases were promising, sales fell below projections, Krispy Kreme executives said on Thursday.

As consumers worry about the broader economy and a potential recession, they have been pulling back their spending at restaurants. McDonald’s reported a 3.6% decline in its U.S. same-store sales for the first quarter. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said that the fast-food industry’s traffic fell as middle- and low-income diners visited restaurants less frequently.

For Krispy Kreme, profitability appears to be the key reason for slowing the rollout with McDonald’s.

“However, we are seeing that after the initial marketing launch demand dropped below our expectations requiring intervention to deliver sustainable, profitable growth,” Charlesworth told analysts on the company’s conference call.

“We are partnering with McDonald’s to increase sales by stimulating higher demand and cutting costs by simplifying operations,” he added. “At the same time, we are reassessing our deployment schedule together with McDonald’s as we work to achieve a profitable business model for all parties.”

Krispy Kreme reported a net loss of $33 million for the quarter ended March 30.

To supply all of McDonald’s U.S. restaurants, Krispy Kreme was investing in expanding capacity quickly, which weighed on profits. In the last year, the company has reported three quarters of net losses.

The company uses a “hub and spoke” model that lets it make and distribute its treats efficiently. Production hubs, which are either stores or doughnut factories, send off freshly made doughnuts every day to retail locations such as grocery stores and gas stations. Krispy Kreme is looking to prune its unprofitable locations, which could affect up to 10% of its U.S. network.

Krispy Kreme also pulled its 2025 outlook, citing “macroeconomic softness” and uncertainty around the schedule for the McDonald’s partnership.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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In Politics

FBI Deputy Director Bongino: Illegal alien criminals and child predators are next in ongoing crackdown

3 Mins Read

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino shared a detailed update Saturday about the bureau’s operations, making clear the agency is focused on removing dangerous criminals and protecting children.

In a post on X, Bongino outlined several priorities and took aim at what he called misleading media coverage of the FBI’s work.

‘The workforce has been working overtime on task force operations to remove dangerous illegal aliens from the country. The work continues,’ Bongino wrote. ‘If you came here illegally to prey on our citizens, your days here are numbered.’

He said these operations are only getting started and will ramp up in the coming weeks.

‘These removal and incarceration operations will dramatically change the crime landscape in the country when combined with the administration’s laser-focus on sealing the border shut,’ he added.

Bongino also pointed to a new initiative focused on protecting children from predators.

‘Crimes against children are a priority for the workforce. Operation ‘Restoring Justice,’ where we locked up child predators and 764 subjects, in every part of the country, is just the beginning,’ he said. ‘We are going to take your freedom if you take away a child’s innocence.’

He promised more enforcement efforts to come and warned those targeting children to ‘think twice.’

Bongino addressed the FBI’s efforts to respond to Congress and the public about several high-profile cases. These include the attack on Rep. Steve Scalise, the Nashville school shooting, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation and the origins of COVID-19. He also mentioned the ongoing work with the Department of Justice in the Jeffrey Epstein case.

‘There are voluminous amounts of downloaded child sexual abuse material that we are dealing with,’ he wrote. ‘There are also victims’ statements that are entitled to specific protections. We need to do this correctly, but I do understand the public’s desire to get the information out there.’

He also responded to what he described as false stories being spread by some in the media and came to the defense of FBI Director Patel. 

‘He spends anywhere between 10 to 12 hours in the office attending meetings with everyone from foreign heads of law enforcement to our counter-terror teams,’ Bongino wrote. ‘Any assertion otherwise is a verifiable lie designed to stop our reforms and fracture your trust. I will die on this hill. You are being clearly lied to by people with an agenda, and it’s not your agenda.’

He closed by thanking the public for its attention and encouraged Americans to keep watching the FBI’s progress.

‘God bless America, and all those who defend Her,’ he wrote.

Dan Bongino began his law enforcement career with the New York Police Department in 1995. He joined the United States Secret Service in 1999 and later served on the elite Presidential Protective Division for presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

After leaving government service, Bongino ran for office as a Republican in Maryland and Florida. Bongino also hosted a Saturday night show on Fox News Channel from 2021 to 2023.

He is the author of several books, including ‘Life Inside the Bubble,’ a memoir about his time in the Secret Service.

The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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