Japanese stocks and exchange traded funds declined Wednesday and the yen advanced after Japan announced a $100 billion plan to help companies survive as the currency spikes.
The government will release foreign-exchange reserves to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation for funding to help exporters and drive purchases overseas, Bloomberg reported.
Separately, Moody’s on Wednesday downgraded the rating on Japan’s government debt by one notch to Aa3, blaming large budget deficits and the build-up of debt since the 2009 global recession, Reuters reported.
The iShares MSCI Japan (NYSEArca: EWJ) was down nearly 2% in premarket trading.
The rise of the Japanese yen has pressured the country’s exporters. CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSEArca: FXY) is up nearly 7% over the past three months. [Japan ETFs Claw Back Toward Pre-Quake High as Yen Rises]
In economic data, the Japanese economy contracted less than anticipated in the second quarter. The country saw a 1.3% contraction in the second quarter, reports The Vancouver Sun.