REPEAT: MNI: BOJ Survey: Corp Loan Demand Rises, H'holds Up

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 00:34 GMT Jan 23/19:34 EST Jan 22

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japanese corporate demand for financing via bank loans in

January rose from three months ago, as volatile global financial markets

increased corporate funding, according to the Bank of Japan's quarterly survey

of senior loan officers at 50 banks released Wednesday.

     The index for corporate fund demand -- calculated by subtracting the number

of banks reporting a decline in lending from the number of those reporting an

increase -- stood at +4 in January, up from +2 in October 2018. The latest

survey period was from December 11 to January 11.

     Other key points from the latest survey;

     --The index for demand from large companies fell to zero from +4 and the

index for small businesses also fell to +3 from +4.

     --The index for fund demand expected for the next three months stood at

zero, down from +1 in the previous survey.

     --The index showing household demand for funds rose to +3 in January from

zero in October due to stronger demand for housing investment and higher

consumption, as well as the drop in lending rates.

     --The senior loan officer index for corporate fund demand hit a record high

of +43 in the October-December quarter of 2008, up from -5 in the previous three

months. The global financial crisis hurt companies' ability to borrow directly

from financial markets. The BOJ began the survey in April 2000.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com