Nomura Holdings, Inc.

Asian Activities Report for January 4, 2012 includes: LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE:LDK) has agreed to acquire approximately 33% increased share capital in Sunways AG (ETR:SWW) and has also offered to takeover all outstanding shares in Sunways; Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (TYO:8031) says that its joint venture company Galaxy NewSpring Pte. Ltd. will operate two new water treatment plants in China; Nomura Holdings, Inc. (TYO:8604) has reached an agreement to invest in Jiu You Quan Xing Equity Investment Fund, a private equity fund based in Shanghai; Diploma Group Limited (ASX:DGX) has achieved Practical Completion on its Eleven 78 development on Hay Street in West Perth; AEON CO., LTD. (TYO:8267) announced that its subsidiary, Petcity Co., Ltd. will be merging with AHB International Inc..

The World Capital Markets Symposium (WCMS), to be hosted by the Securities Commission Malaysia on 27-28 September 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, will once again bring to Asia a truly unique platform aimed at providing participants with varied perspectives and insights into the opportunities presented to the international financial services industry to change business as usual by rethinking leadership and governance principles.

In Asia, China's unexpected announcement that it will increase the reserve-requirement ratio would fuel worries over the global economy recovery, but thin trading is expected today as most markets including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea and Singapore will be closed for Lunar New Year holiday. Japan's exporters will be supported by weaker yen. Japan's gross domestic product data, released by the Cabinet Office on Monday, showed that the country's economy grew at a faster than expected pace in the October-December quarter.

Asian shares were lifted on Tuesday after strong U.S. manufacturing data. Japan's Nikkei index ended 1.63 percent higher, after Toyota's plans to fix millions of vehicles equipped with faulty accelerators in North America and Europe. Australian shares climbed as metals prices rose, but Australian dollar was pulled down by RBA's unexpected decision to keep interest rate unchanged.

Nomura (TYO:8604), the leading global investment bank headquartered in Japan, launched its Saudi Arabia operation following the receipt of its commencement letter from Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority (CMA), to undertake a range of securities businesses in the Kingdom.

Asian share markets were bolstered on hopes for China's further stimulus measures, which are speculated to include market-supportive moves. Shanghai Composite Index surged 6.1% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 2.5%. South Korea's Kospi was up 3.3%. Japanese and Singaporean markets also shrugged off the bad lead from Wall Street, gaining 0.9% and 1% respectively.