1.   Activity is expected to be sluggish, with many Japanese traders and investors already on vacation for the week-long Obon holidays that begin next week.

2.   After making tens of millions of dollars in recent years, the Japanese trader is apparently eager to move out of Japan to avoid heavy taxes there.

3.   In LONDON, palladium rose as Japanese traders took advantage of a dollar near a two-month low to buy the metal.

4.   In other markets, grains and soybeans slumped after a Japanese trader declared bankruptcy.

5.   Japanese interbank traders scrambled to buy back dollars they had sold, traders said.

6.   Japanese traders buy and sell gold in Tokyo based on movements in the yen price of gold as a way to speculate in the currency markets.

7.   Japanese traders, however, say that Sumitomo may have initially achieved this stature at a price.

8.   Russia is expected to deliver platinum to Japan tomorrow for the first time this year, according to Japanese traders.

9.   Russian shipments could resume this week, according to Japanese traders.

10.   Shigeru Myojin, a well-liked Japanese trader, was appointed vice chairman of Salomon last week and will replace Keegan as head of proprietary trading.