国际英语新闻：Big firms' sentiment improves in Japan for 6th straight quarter: survey

The biggest yen decline since Sept. 15 was recorded on Friday, when the yen dropped 1 percent in about 10 minutes reaching a low of 85.40 per dollar.

The central bank's survey showed big manufacturers expect the dollar/yen rate to average at 89.44 yen in the October-March second half of this financial year and 89.66 yen for the full the year.

Japan's central bank has pledged to pursue powerful monetary easing, ensuring financial market stability and supporting efforts to strengthen the foundations for economic growth.

The BOJ's next two-day policy board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 4, at which analysts predict a further expansion of its low interest rate lending facility, which last month was expanded from 10 trillion yen (118.75 billion yen) to 30 trillion yen, will be discussed as a viable option for further monetary easing.

The 146th Short-term Economic Survey of Enterprises in Japan released today covers thousands of Japanese companies with a specified minimum amount of capital, although firms deemed sufficiently influential may also be included. The companies are asked about current trends and conditions in the business place and their respective industries as well as their expected business activities for the next quarter and year.