Nikkei falls fail to dent redemption-driven demand for Japan equity-linked notes

Japanese investors are buying equity-linked notes in record numbers, even as the Nikkei comes off its highs. Most of the demand is coming from investors who have had notes redeemed, say banks

Investors in Japan have not lost their appetite for equity-linked structured products. Despite recent falls in the Nikkei 225 index, which has dropped as much as 20% from its May high of 15,627, banks say they are on track to sell record numbers of the notes this year. The majority of the money is coming from investors who have had their existing notes redeemed.

"This year will probably be the biggest in terms of public offerings of equity-linked products in Japan since 2007 or 2008," says Majdi