BOJ stuns markets with negative interest rate surprise

By Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan unexpectedly cut a benchmark interest rate below zero on Friday, stunning investors with a move aimed at shielding the country's sluggish economy from volatile markets and slowing global growth. Asian shares jumped, the yen fell and sovereign bonds rallied after the BOJ said it would charge for excess reserves parked with the institution, an aggressive policy pioneered by the European Central Bank (ECB). "The BOJ will cut the interest rate furt