Japan stocks likely to fall on stronger yen, oil

TOKYO, March 13 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks are set to fall
on Thursday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street after the
U.S. Federal Reserve's latest move failed to give a sustained
lift to jittery financial markets.

In addition, the yen's sharp gain against the dollar and
record oil prices have added to a darkening outlook for Japan's
export-heavy corporate profits.

Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) may be in focus after the Nikkei
business daily reported that the electronics firm is likely to
post a 50 billion yen loss from terminating HD DVDs, bringing
total HD DVD related losses to 100 billion yen for the year
ending in March.

"Concerns about a U.S. recession and inflation are mounting,"
said Hiroichi Nishi, a general manager of equity marketing at
Nikko Cordial Securities.

"The political impasse, namely the deadlock over the next BOJ
governor, has started to have an impact on the market."

Opposition lawmakers vetoed the Japanese government's pick
for central bank governor on Wednesday, leaving the Bank of Japan
with no successor to Governor Toshihiko Fukui one week before he
retires.

After a short respite, the dollar resumed its slide against
the yen <JPY=>, hitting a low of more than 12 years at 101.10 yen
at one point in early Tokyo trade.

The benchmark Nikkei average .N225 is expected to move
between 12,600 and 12,900 on Thursday. The index rose 1.6 percent
on Wednesday after the Fed moved to provide more liquidity to
strained credit markets.

Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 2NKc1 closed at 12,750 on
Wednesday, down 140 points from their close in Osaka JNIc1.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2258 GMT ------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1308.77 -0.9% -11.880
USD/JPY <JPY=> 101.58 0.41% 0.410
10-YR US TSY YLD <US10YT=RR> 3.4399 -- 0.000
SPOT GOLD <XAU=> 982 -0.05% -0.500
US CRUDE CLc1 109.91 -0.01% -0.010
DOW JONES .DJI 12110.24 -0.38% -46.57
-------------------------------------------------------------
> Wall St slips on rethink of Fed plan, oil over $110 [.N]
> Dollar sinks to record low vs euro, currency basket [USD/]
> Bonds up on doubts over Fed's liquidity move [US/]
> Gold up 1 pct on dollar, crude; targets $1,000 [GOL/]
> Oil rallies to record $110 as dollar plumbs new low [O/R]
STOCKS TO WATCH

-- Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

Toshiba will post a 50 billion yen loss to end its HD DVD
business, pushing total losses related to the next-generation DVD
business to as much as 100 billion yen in the business year
ending this month, the Nikkei business daily said on Thursday.

Toshiba will likely post a group operating profit of 250
billion yen for this business year, 40 billion yen short of its
forecast, the newspaper said.

-- Nissan Motor Co (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

Nissan said on Wednesday its North American sales chief and
the executive charged with leading its high-end Infiniti brand
had resigned in the latest in a string of departures from the
Japanese automaker's North American unit. [ID:nN12210540]

-- Tsumura & Co (4540.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

The maker of Chinese medicines said on Wednesday it raised
its annual dividend forecast to 23 yen per share from 20 yen in
an earlier estimate.

-- Sankyo Co Ltd (6417.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

The maker of "pachinko" pinball machines lift its full-year
earnings forecast, buoyed by strong sales of its new models. It
now expects 70 billion in operating profits for the year ending
in March, up from 62 billion yen in an earlier forecast.

The firm also said it raised annual dividend forecast to 150
yen per share, up from 100 yen in the previous estimate.

-- Ohsho Food Service Corp (9936.OS: Quote, Profile, Research)

The Chinese restaurant operator said it lifted its annual
dividend forecast to 35 yen per share, up from 25 yen in an
earlier outlook.

-- KDDI Corp (9433.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

KDDI, Japan's No. 2 phone company, said on Tuesday it plans
to invest 25 billion yen over the next three years, eyeing demand
from 300 client companies eager to outsource data management
[ID:nT274583]

-- Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd (4568.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

U.S. regulators have rejected Daiichi Sankyo's injectable
anaemia drug Injectafer for the broad treatment of uterine
bleeding and in a surprise move also knocked it back for a
narrower use. [ID:nT246847]

-- Amada Co (6113.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

Amada, a maker of metalworking machines, is expected to post
a 6 percent rise in group operating profit to about 48 billion
yen, marking its fifth straight year of record profit, the Nikkei
reported on Thursday.

Amada will likely book double-digit sales growth in emerging
markets such as China and India. It will also book rising orders
for a wide variety of applications, including telecommunications
devices, construction materials and cars, the newspaper said.

-- Taiheiyo Cement Corp (5233.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

Taiheiyo Cement is expected to post a 38 percent fall in
group recurring profit to about 42 billion yen for the business
year ending March 31, lower than its forecast for 49 billion yen,
the Nikkei said on Thursday.

Sales will likely fall 2 percent to 920 billion yen due to
sluggish demand for cement for public works projects such as
roads and bridges, while private-sector orders have been hit by a
slump in housing starts, the newspaper said.

-- Sharp Corp (6753.T: Quote, Profile, Research)

South Korea's LG Electronics (066570.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it
plans to buy 32- and 52-inch liquid crystal display panels from
Sharp amid surging demand for flat screen TVs. [ID:nSEO278648]
(Reporting by Taiga Uranaka)