ISM: US Services Sector Expands for 4th Straight Month in October on More Jobs but Surprise Index Rise Also Caused by Slower Deliveries in Wake of Hurricanes

–ISM Services Index at 56.0 Vs. 54.9 in September, Well Above Median Forecast 53.5 –ISM’s Miller: Index Likely to Slip Back to 53 or 54 in November as Impact of Hurricanes Subsides –Miller: Positive Comments Spreading to More Industries but Uncertainty over US Political Climate Lingers By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Business activity in the […]

Japan July Core CPI Annual Rate on Gradual Uptrend at 2.7% Vs. 2.6% in June as Government Ends 18-Month Utility Subsidies, Heat Wave Boosts Air Conditioner Price

–Total CPI Y/Y Rise Steady at 2.8%; Fresh Food Markups Ease After Recent Spike–Core-Core CPI (Ex-Fresh Food, Energy) Up 1.9% Vs. 2.2% amid Easing Pressure from Processed Food Costs By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer inflation in Japan continued accelerating slightly in the core reading in July after the government ended 18-month long utility subsidies […]

Japan July Export Rise Led by Semiconductors, Autos from US, Asia, Offsetting Slow Shipments to Europe; Trade Deficit Wider Than Expected

–Imports Surge on Drugs, Computers, Crude Oil as Relatively Weak Yen Keeps Costs High–Exports to China Post 8th Straight Y/Y Rise Following Last Year’s Slump–Exports to US Remain Robust; Those to EU Mark 4th Straight Y/Y Decline By Max Sato (MaceNews) –Japanese export values rose 10.3% for the eighth straight year-over-year increase in July, led […]

Japan Q2 GDP Rebounds on Resumed Auto Output, Wage Hikes; Heat Wave Also Boosts Consumer Demand for Air Conditioners, Summer Goods

–Q2 GDP +0.8% Q/Q, +3.1% Annualized, Above Median Forecasts of +0.6%, +2.3%–Domestic Demand Pushes Up GDP by 0.9 Point, Net Exports Trim Growth by 0.1 Point By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for the April-June quarter posted a stronger-than-expected rebound after suffering its first contraction in two quarters in January-March, up a […]