TOKYO -- A rising yen threatens to depress annual profit growth at export-driven Japanese companies that close their books in December, adding to concerns about weak consumer spending and higher labor costs in the domestic market.
Combined net profit at 229 listed companies is expected to climb 4% to 3.74 trillion yen ($35 billion) this year, compared with a 30% jump in 2017, data compiled by The Nikkei shows.
