The U.S. economy's growth is making further interest rate increases likely and that's been translated into this market, affecting high-tech shares in particular.

The report prompted speculation that charging lower interest will hurt consumer lenders' earnings. It's difficult to buy the stocks when we cannot confirm how they will secure profits once the regulation is tightened.

Anticipation for good earnings seems to be leading to gains for Sony as well as Toyota and Honda. In the mid-term most investors expect the market to continue rising and that is proving to be a strong reason to buy when prices dip.

Retail investors are good at bottom-fishing at a time of an event-driven sell-off, like the one last week.

As Japanese companies can no longer absorb the entire negative impact of rising basic material prices with revenue growth, corporate profit trend will slow down further going forward.

Exports have maintained a relatively high level of growth because the decline in exports of information technology products has bottomed out -- the key factor which had sent the Japanese economy into a lull,