The Nikkei 225 Stock Average marked the highest level seen for the first time in 27 years in October last year but thereafter decreased substantially in late December through the beginning of January.
In the foreign exchange market, the U.S. dollar/yen rate continued to be relatively stable throughout the second half of last year, being in the range of 110-115 yen; however, it dipped briefly to the range of 104-105 yen in the early morning of January 3 amid the low trading volume in the market.