
Japan equities: PM Takaichi’s snap election to boost Japan equities. Japan equities have gained momentum, with the TOPIX reaching an all-time high, while the yen approaches intervention levels. This reflects growing market speculation that Prime Minister Takaichi may call for a snap election in February. Such a move is widely anticipated to secure a solid majority for the LDP-Ishin governing coalition in the Lower House, supported by high government approval ratings since Oct 2025. A successful election on 8 Feb, strengthening the LDP coalition’s mandate, will likely embolden the government to pursue more ambitious fiscal policies. Notably, the record FY2026 initial budget of JPY122.3tn (+c.6% y/y) allocates substantial spending towards strategic sectors.
We expect a more aggressive expansionary fiscal stance to continue boosting equities while driving further yen depreciation. With the BOJ unlikely to hike rates in its next two meetings, near-term yen weakness is poised to fuel yen carry trades, attracting liquidity inflows that should ultimately benefit Japan equities.
We reiterate our preference for domestic demand-driven sectors with resilient earnings, as well as companies actively pursuing corporate reforms. Beyond this, we remain constructive on compelling investment themes arising from government’s push for strategic sectors – such as tech and industrials (including defence) – alongside the rare earths sector, as Japan endeavours to build supply chains independent of China amid escalating China-Japan tensions.
Equity fund flows: During the week ending 14 Jan, Developed Market (DM) equity fund flows saw a sharp reversal, attracting strong inflows of USD54.3bn. This was largely driven by US funds, which rebounded to a sizeable inflow of USD36.5bn after posting a USD19bn outflow in the previous week. The renewed inflows into US equities appear to reflect upbeat earnings expectations ahead of the 4Q25 reporting season, alongside an easing of geopolitical concerns. Emerging Market (EM) equity funds also recorded notable inflows of USD16.8bn, with China contributing USD8.5bn.

Source: LSEG, DBS
Equity Research Highlights

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