3 bank groups to book impairment loss of 160 bil. yen on TEPCO shares+

TOKYO, April 20 Kyodo -
Three major Japanese banking groups are expected to book a combined asset impairment loss of 160 billion yen on their holdings of Tokyo Electric Power Co. shares in their group earnings reports for fiscal 2010 due to sharp falls in the utility's stock following the nuclear crisis at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, industry sources said Tuesday.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. is expected to report an impairment loss of 80 billion yen, Mizuho Financial Group Inc. plans to book a loss of 50 billion yen, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. is expected to report a loss of 30 billion yen.
All the banking groups are expected to report in mid-May their financial reports for the fiscal year ended March 31.
The share price of the utility known as TEPCO was 2,036 yen on Sept. 30 last year when the banking groups closed their half-year earnings reports.
The utility's stock fell to 466 yen at the end of fiscal 2010 on March 31 from 2,153 yen on March 10, the day before the magnitude-9.0 quake and ensuing tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi complex.
==Kyodo