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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Yen hits record-high against US dollar as Nikkei falls | Yen hits record-high against US dollar as Nikkei falls |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Japanese yen has risen against the US dollar hitting the highest level since the end of the Second World War. | |
| The yen climbed as high as 76.25 against the US dollar in US trading on Wednesday. In Asia on Thursday, it was close to 79.42. | |
| Japanese shares slid as investors worried about the impact of a stronger yen on profits at the country's biggest exporters. | Japanese shares slid as investors worried about the impact of a stronger yen on profits at the country's biggest exporters. |
| The Nikkei 225 index shed 3.7% to 8,764.98 points in early trading. | The Nikkei 225 index shed 3.7% to 8,764.98 points in early trading. |
| 'Nervous' | |
| Japan's Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda has blamed speculation for the yen's surge. | |
| "Market moves have been nervous amid speculation, while trade has been thin," Mr Noda said. | |
| The finance minister declined to comment on whether or not the authorities will step in but said he would keep an eye on the developments. | |
| "I will be closely watching market moves today," he said. | |
| Cash injection | |
| Meanwhile, Japan's central bank pumped another 5 trillion yen ($63bn; £39bn) into the money markets. | |
| This is the fourth such injection of funds by the Bank of Japan, taking its total funds inflow to 31.5tn yen ($398bn). | |
| The central bank has been trying to shore up consumer confidence and maintain liquidity. | |
| Analysts say that given the current market situation and the rising yen, the central bank may go a step further and intervene to stem the currency's rise. | |
| "Apart from intervention, there isn't much to stop this slide and the dollar doesn't look like it's coming back soon," said Brian Dolan, chief strategist at Forex.com. |