Japan Still Sees Gradual Economic Recovery but Warns Some Uncertainty over Trade Deals lingers, Downgrading Its View on Exporter Profits
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government continues to believe that the domestic economy is expected stay on a “modest recovery” track after top negotiators from Tokyo and Washington have worked out some details of their bilateral trade deal reached last month but also warned that uncertainty over global growth is here to stay for […]
Japan Weekahead: PM Ishiba’s Fate Up in the Air After His Minority Government Suffers Setback in Upper House Election; BOJ to Stand Pat as Trade Rows Cloud Growth Outlook
–June Industrial Output Seen Flat, Retail Sales Sluggish, Setting Soft Tone for Q2 GDP Due August 15–June Jobless Rate to Remain Low and Stable at 2.5%, Job Creation Continues for Nearly 3 Years amid Labor Shortages By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week. Prime […]
Preview: Bank of Japan to Keep 0.5% Policy Rate for 4th Straight Meeting in Gradual Tightening Process
–Trump Tariffs Cloud Growth Outlook Despite Bilateral Trade Accord By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan’s nine-member board is widely expected to vote unanimously to maintain the target for the overnight interest rate at 0.5% for the fourth straight time at its meeting on July 30-31 amid uncertainty over trade conflicts and geopolitical […]
Preview: Bank of Japan to Keep 0.5% Policy Rate for 3rd Straight Meeting in Gradual Tightening Process, Focus on Fiscal 2026 Pace of JGB Purchase Slowdown
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan is set to leave its policy interest rate for the third meeting in a row on Tuesday in a gradual tightening process amid the uncertainty sparked by the protectionist U.S. trade policy but the focus is on its mid-term review as to how drastically it should […]
Japan Finance Minister Kato: Didn’t Discuss FX Levels, Framework with US Counterpart Treasury Sec Bessent
–BOJ Governor Ueda: To Hike Interest Rates Gradually If Outlook for 2% inflation Sets in By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference on Thursday in Washington that he and his U.S. counterpart didn’t discuss guiding the currency market toward a weaker dollar against yen to help trim the […]
Preview: BOJ March Quarter Tankan to Show Business Sentiment Slightly Down or Flat amid Uncertainty over Trump Tariffs, Elevated Consumer Inflation
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan business survey is forecast to show confidence among manufacturers slipped in the March quarter in the face of stiff tariffs on U.S. imports of metals and vehicles as well as President Trump’s plans to slap “reciprocal tariffs” on imports from global trading partners. China’s […]
Analysis: Bank of Japan Taking Another Step Forward but Still Halfway Toward Brave New World of Paying Interest on Loans
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan policymakers have taken another step forward with their third rate hike this cycle, but they are still only hallway through their mission of hauling the economy from the lukewarm super-low borrowing costs toward the brave new world of paying normal levels of interest on loans. At its […]
BOJ Governor Ueda: Japan Economy on Track Toward Higher Interest Rates but Central Bank Needs More Confidence in Sustained Wage Hikes
–Ueda: Bank May Get Enough Data in March or April to Decide on Next Rate Hike By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said Friday that the bank’s policymakers may receive clearer data and information in March or April that would allow them to decide confidently whether to go ahead with […]
Japan Q3 GDP Slows on Capex, Public Works Pullbacks as Expected, Propped Up by Downward Revision to Q2 Growth
–Q3 GDP +0.2% Q/Q, +0.9% Annualized Vs. Median Forecasts of +0.2%, +0.6%–External Demand’s Unexpected Dive Buoyed by Surprisingly Firmer Consumption Despite High Costs, Earthquake, Typhoons–Domestic Demand Pushes Up GDP by 0.6 Point, Net Exports Slashes Growth by 0.4 Point By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s third quarter economic growth slowed to 0.2% on quarter, on […]
Japan Government Slightly Upgrades Its View on Economic Recovery after BOJ Conducts 2nd Rate Hike in July
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government upgraded its overall economic assessment for the first time in six months, noting consumer spending is supported by wage hikes and temporary income tax credits, but the change in wording is subtle and it continues to say the economy is recovering “moderately.” In its monthly report for August […]