The Bank of Japan (BOJ) said yesterday it had injected another ¥1.5 trillion (US$14 billion) into money markets to help stabilize the international financial system after recent turmoil.
The BOJ announced the move on its Web site shortly after the opening of the stock market, which was sharply higher on news of a US rescue package for the financial sector.
The BOJ is one of six major central banks that pledged last week to coordinate monetary action to ensure a flow of liquidity after the collapse of investment giant Lehman Brothers.
The Japanese central bank injected ¥11 trillion into the system last week.
Meanwhile, three sources said top brokerage group Nomura Holdings was buying the Asian assets of bankrupt Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
The people, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Nomura succeeded in its bid for Lehman’s Asian operations yestersday.
The Wall Street Journal reported the deal was worth US$225 million.
Another source said Standard Chartered PLC and Barclays PLC also placed bids for the assets and that the winner was likely to be announced as soon as yesterday.
Separately, Nomura and Barclays were contending for Lehman’s European operations, another person told the news service.
Japan’s Jiji Press also reported that Nomura had proposed to buy both the Asian and European units of Lehman.
Nomura representatives kept quiet on the reports and said there was no immediate plan for any announcement on the issue.
“There is nothing we can say at this point,” a Nomura spokesman said in Tokyo.
However, investors welcomed the reports.
Shares of the Japanese firm shot up 8.51 percent in morning trade.
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