Mitsui USA's Financial Technology (FT) capabilities can expand clients' business horizons by providing enhanced business domain expertise; industrial presence; proven financial business models, which deliver liquidity via the capital and bank markets; risk mitigation structures; and strategic investment opportunities.

Depth, breadth and the ability to successfully integrate FT into Mitsui's Value Creation Hub management system puts forward the company's collective strengths in information, financial and logistics technologies (IT-FT-LT) intertwined with its operating groups to provide comprehensive business solutions for its clients.

To fulfill clients' specific needs, Mitsui USA offers multilayered FT capabilities residing on a two sided coin. On the one side, its financial market professionals focus on private equity investments and the commodity trading markets. On the flip side, its financial logistics' professionals focus on international capital and commercial bank markets; foreign exchange operations; trade, lease and project finance including, but not limited to, co-financing with bi- and multilateral institutions; and financial risk mitigation solutions (including currency risks).

In addition to "traditional" financial operations which include trade, equity, debt, project and lease finance, Mitsui USA's FT unit engages in special agreements in derivative commodity instruments, such as futures, forwards and options contracts. The company's FT services also enter into derivative financial instruments, such as interest rate swap agreements, foreign exchange forward contracts, currency swap agreements and interest rate and currency swap agreements as a means of hedging our interest rate and foreign exchange exposures.

Mitsui USA and its parent company in Tokyo, Japan, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., have collectively maintained a stable Moody's debt rating of A-2 long term and P-1 short term. In addition to capital market access, its financial position provides Mitsui USA with substantial bank credit lines.

A recent example of putting financial strength to benefit Mitsui USA's business partners occurred in a December 2003 competitive bid award of two municipal freight rail supply contracts in Phoenix, AZ and Seattle, WA. Both cities required medium-term, commercial bank, performance bonds, each issued in excess of US$ 100 million. Mitsui USA delivered by posting the bonds, competitively priced and on time.