BOJ Kuroda Repeats No Plans for Rate Hike, Rapid Yen Drop Undesirable
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda made it clear once again that the bank’s policymakers are “not considering raising interest rates at all” given their latest outlook that domestic inflation is unlikely to be anchored around its 2% target in the next few years. He told a post-meeting news conference […]
BOJ Keeps Easing Stance; Revises Up CPI Forecast, Sees Slower FY22 GDP Growth
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Thursday it is maintaining its super-low interest rate targets along the yield curve and large asset purchases, as expected, to help the economy fully recover from the pandemic-caused slump and anchor inflation around its stable 2% target. To keep speculative market forces from pushing the […]
Japan June Exports Hit Record High, Shipments to China Rebound After Covid Lockdown
–Exports Hit Fresh Record High on Reopening Demand, Rising Costs –Imports Mark 4th Straight Month of Record High amid High Oil and Gas Prices –In 1H 2022, Exports, Imports Reach All-Time Highs, Trade Deficit Largest By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Solid reopening demand for mineral fuels, iron and steel, and semiconductors led Japanese export values […]
Japan June Producer Inflation Eases Slightly on Slower Lumber, Steel Gains; Fuels Pick Up Again
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Producer inflation in Japan eased slightly in June after hitting a 41-year high in April as year-on-year gains in the costs for lumber and wood products as well as iron and steel slowed, while the prices of gasoline and other fuels picked up the pace of increase again, data released […]
Japan May Machine Orders Dip as Expected After Sharp Gains; Capex Plans Seen Solid
–Japan Govt Keeps View After Upgrade: Machine Orders Showing Signs of Pickup By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, posted the first month-on-month drop in three months, taking a breather after sharp gains led by computer demand, but capital spending plans are expected to be […]
Analysis: After Abe’s Death, PM Kishida Still Has to Show How His New Capitalism Works for Japan
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – After Friday’s assassination of Shinzo Abe, architect of the reflationary economic policy mix dubbed Abenomics, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has yet to show whether his “new capitalism” is a better alternative in revitalizing Japan. During the ruling party leadership election campaign last year, Kishida floated the idea of shifting from […]
News Reports: Former Japan Prime Minister Abe Shot During Speech; Japan Rocked by Incident
(MaceNews) – Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, known for his reflationary economic policy and nationalistic views, was shot from behind by a man in his 40s in the western prefecture of Nara on Friday, public broadcaster NHK and other news media reported. Ahead of Sunday’s upper house elections, in which the ruling coalition is […]
Japan May Household Spending Dips as Supply Crunch Dents Car Output, People Cooking Less
–Households Dining Out, Traveling More, Limiting Y/Y Drop in May Vs. April, March –Govt Official: Cannot Yet Say If Rising Inflation Hurting Spending; Covid, Weather Also Affect Consumers –Real Household Income Falls For 2nd Straight Month as Inflation Bites By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s real household spending unexpectedly fell on year for the third […]
BOJ June Tankan Business Sentiment Mixed; Manufacturers Down, Services Up
–Covid Lockdowns in China, High Producer Costs Weigh on Factory Operators –Services Upbeat on Japan’s Eased Covid Rules, Summer Spending Hopes –Business Confidence Seen Flat to Softer in September Amid Uncertainty –Firms, Large and Small, Revise Up Their Combined FY22 Capex Plans By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Confidence among major manufacturers in Japan sagged for […]
Japan June Tokyo CPI Y/Y Rise Stays Above 2% but BOJ Keeps Easing Stance 
–Energy, Food Prices Lead Inflation; BOJ Sees Impact of Commodity Prices Spike Fading in FY23 –Gasoline Price Markups Smaller on Govt Subsidies; Utilities Costs High but Also Easing By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The year-on-year rise in consumer prices in Tokyo, the leading indicator of the national average, continued edging up above the Bank of […]