The Nikkei 225 Index continued its strong bull run this month, reaching a high of ¥42,030, its highest level since July 10. It has jumped by over 36% from its lowest level in April. This article explores the top catalysts for the blue-chip Japan index. 

BoJ interest rate decision

One of the top catalysts for the Nikkei 225 Index will be the upcoming Bank of Japan interest rate decision scheduled on Friday.

Economists expect the bank to leave interest rates unchanged at 0.50%. It will then maintain that it will resume hiking interest rates later this year if the economic conditions allow. 

The BoJ decision comes a week after the US and Japan reached a complex trade deal. All Japanese goods imported into the US will be subject to a 15% tariff, a move that will impact some of the top Nikkei 225 constituents, including Toyota and Honda. 

Japan will also invest $500 billion in the United States in areas preferred by Donald Trump. It is unclear how this investment will work over time. 

The Nikkei 225 Index will also react to the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rates decision. Economists also expect the Fed to leave rates unchanged between 4.25% and 4.50%.

Japan earnings season 

The other major catalyst for the Nikkei 225 Index will be earnings from key Japanese companies. These earnings will provide more color about the country’s earnings growth.

The most notable companies will be Japanese banks. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial and Mizuo Financial will publish their financial results on Thursday. 

Japanese bank stocks have done well this year, helped by the fairly strong economy and high interest rates. That’s because most of them were used to negative interest rates for over a decade, and now the bank has boosted them to 0.5%.

Other key Nikkei 225 Index constituents like Hitachi, Japan Tobacco, Mitsubishi Electric, Resona Holdings, Itochu, Mitsui, and Marubeni will also release their results this week. The latter three companies are notable because they are part of Warren Buffett’s portfolio.

US corporate earnings and macro data

Global stocks often react to the happenings in the United States. Top companies in the Magnificent 7, like Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon will publish their earnings this week. Altogether, over 50% of all companies in the S&P 500 Index will release their results. 

At the same time, the US will publish several key economic numbers this week. The most notable ones will be the consumer confidence report on Tuesday, GDP data on Wednesday, the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) on Thursday, and the nonfarm payrolls data.

All these numbers are important because they will help to determine when the Fed will start to cut interest rates.

The Nikkei 225 Index will also react to the August 1 deadline in which the US will implement tariffs on most countries.

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