Preview: Forecasters See Japan Exports Up 11.9%, Imports Up 3.1% on Year in January
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Tuesday, Feb. 17) The Ministry of Finance releases January trade.Mace News survey median: exports +11.9% y/y (range: +4.9% to +14.5%) vs. Dec. +5.1%; imports +3.1% y/y (range: -2.4% to +7.0%) vs. a revised +5.2% in December from +5.3; trade deficit ¥2,211.45 billion (range: a deficit of ¥2,461.70 […]
Preview: Japan Q4 GDP to Rebound on Gains in Capex, Consumption, Exports, but Momentum Remains Weak
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Backed by gains in capital investment, gradual rises in exports, and continuing modest recovery in private consumption, Japan’s real gross domestic product is expected to rebound and post its first positive growth in two quarters in the October–December period, following a sharp contraction in the previous quarter. Still, the […]
US ISM Services Sector Afloat over Optimism for Better Business in 2026 but AI Boom Causing Capacity Concerns; Overall Cost Pressures Remain High
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector posted a 19th straight month of expansion in January on general optimism that things will turn around in 2026 in the aftermath of Trump tariff storms but the pace of activity was flat on the month as data center expansion is causing capacity concerns and rising […]
Japan Week Ahead: Lower House Election Campaign Underway Before Feb. 8 Vote as PM Takaichi Seeks Dual Fiscal Mandate, Stable Dollar/Yen
–December Factory Output to Show Slight Dip but Solid Q4, Sign for GDP Rebound; January Tokyo CPI Seen Tamer on Energy Price Drop, Erasing Food Pressures By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Currency traders are on alert for a possible market intervention by the Ministry of […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Exports Up 2.6% on Year in November with Boost from Weak Yen
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 20250850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Tuesday, Dec. 16) The Ministry of Finance releases November trade.Mace News median: exports +2.6% y/y (range: +0.4% to +5.0%) vs. Oct. +3.6%; imports +0.5% y/y (range: -1.4% to +3.9%) vs. Oct +0.7%; trade surplus ¥47.60 billion (range: a deficit of ¥17.00 billion to a surplus of ¥128.30 […]
Japan Weekahead: Government Likely to Keep Modest Economic Recovery View, Another BOJ Board Member Speaks amid Rate Hike Expectations
–US Tariffs Seen Denting Factory Output, Retail Sales Remain Weak By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming week. In the final quarter of 2025, the drag from the protectionist U.S. trade policy is becoming more pronounced in some data including international trade, compared to the previous quarter. […]
UPDATE: Japan Weekahead: October Exports Seen Up but Sluggish, Academic Type BOJ Board Member Koeda to Make Debut Speech Before December Meeting
–MOF has made a rare change to its trade statistics release date, citing the need to ensure the accuracy of the latest figures after finding that it failed to move parts of collected data over to a new customs computer system on Oct. 12. By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic […]
Japan Keeps Economic Recovery Outlook as US Trade Deal, Easing Inflation Lift Mood but Export Volumes, Manufacturer Profits Sink on US Auto Tariffs
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan is keeping its modest economic recovery scenario as a trade deal with Washington and easing inflation have perked up confidence but U.S. import duties, still much higher than pre-Trump norms, have triggered export volumes to slump in August and manufacturer profits to dip in the April-June quarter. In […]
Report: Japan, U.S. Mull Possible Trump Visit to Tokyo in Late October
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan and the United States are in talks over a possible visit by President Donald Trump to Tokyo in October, ahead of his planned trip to South Korea for an international summit, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported. The visit would mark the first in-person meeting between Trump and the […]
US TARIFFS STATE OF PLAY – Punishing 50% Tariff on India Products Takes Effect; Online Shoppers to be Hit With Tariffs Friday
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – There was no last-minute reprieve for India, as of midnight ET hit with one of the highest tariff rates in the world. The implementation of a 50% rate shuts off most trade with the U.S. and there have been many accounts of sectors of the Indian economy already feeling the severe effect. […]