The rules still afford the locals some help: regulations governing financial markets are still opaque, which favours domestic players, and many Japanese companies still prefer to do business with domestic firms.

ECONOMIST: Japanese finance: Rich pickings for the gaijin | The

And finally, when the new chief of staff came here -- I guess it was six or seven months ago -- he walked with the President across Lafayette Park to the Chamber of Commerce in an effort to mend fences, to sort of demonstrate that he was rolling back some regulations, unshackling business to help them in their efforts to get through the recession.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

These factors could add some visibility to the stocks and help both the banks and their investors focus on other issues than government regulations.

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