Japanese trading house profits slide as resource prices soften

Construction machinery, retail business support progress toward growth path

20230804N Coal port

Imported coal unloaded from a cargo ship at a port in China. For Japan's trading houses, resources such as coal were affected by a lull in prices. © Reuters

NATSUMI KAWASAKI, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's five major trading houses saw profits for the April-June period shrink from the same period last year against a backdrop of falling resource prices, according to earnings results announced this week.

Sumitomo Corp.'s net income fell 17% on the year to 129 billion yen ($900 million). Marubeni reported net income of 141 billion yen, down 30%, with Itochu dipping 8% to 213 billion yen.

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