Japan’s October Energy-Led CPI Rise Capped by Deeper Mobile Phone Discounts
— Gasoline, Heating Oil, Utilities Costs Up Sharply Amid Rising Energy Markets — Total CPI Marks 2nd Straight Y/Y Gain; Slower on Fresh Food Price Drop — Producer Price Spike Has Limited Impact on CPI But BOJ Sees Gradual Pickup By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Core consumer prices in Japan maintained a small step upward […]
Japan September Machine Orders Flat, Posting Only Small Q3 Gain
–Japan Govt Keeps View: Pickup in Machine Orders Pausing –Q3 Core Orders Far Below Official Forecast; Q4 Seen Up Moderately By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, were unchanged in September, coming in weaker than a rebound forecast by many and following a surprise slip […]
Japan Oct Exports Slow on Parts Supply Delays; Steel, Machine Demand Solid
— Imports Up on Rising Energy Costs, Leading to 3rd Straight Trade Deficit By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Year-on-year growth in Japanese exports continued to lose momentum in October as Covid-triggered delays in parts supply from Southeast Asia, microchip shortages and congestion at international ports have forced carmakers and others to trim output and shipments, […]
Japan Q3 GDP Slump Deeper Than Expected on Weaker Consumption, Capex
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy plunged at a much faster pace than expected in the July-September quarter, after a modest rebound in April-June, as a Covid resurgence dampened shopping and dining out while supply chain disruptions hampered business investment, Cabinet Office data released Monday showed. The gross domestic product slumped a preliminary 0.8% […]
PREVIEW: Japan Q3 GDP Seen Down as Covid Spreads, Supply Squeeze Lingers
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for the July-September quarter is forecast by economists to show a 0.2% slump on quarter, or an annualized 0.8% drop, as consumers were cautious amid a resurgence in coronavirus infections and global supply chain disruptions slowed business investment and exports. The median forecast for Q3 […]
Japan October Producer Price Rise Fastest in 4 Decades on Energy, Commodities, Yen
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Producer prices in Japan surged at the fastest annual pace in four decades, as the pandemic-caused global supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and reopening demand have pushed up the costs for production and shipments, data released Thursday by the Bank of Japan showed. The depreciation of the yen has also […]
Japan Sept Household Spending Dips Y/Y; Q3 Drop Points to GDP Slump 
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending posted the second straight year-on-year drop in September as restrictions on economic activity remained in place until the end of the month in light of a resurgence in coronavirus cases in August, data released Friday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed. As the number […]
Japan Oct Tokyo Core CPI Posts Only Small Gain, Led by Higher Energy Costs
— Electricity Charges, Gasoline Prices Pick Up Pace of Y/Y Gains— Mobile Communication Fees Show Deeper Drop, Limiting CPI Rise By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The core reading of consumer prices in Tokyo, a leading indicator of the national average, posted the second consecutive but small year-over-year gain in October as higher electricity bills and […]
Japan Sept Factory Output Slumps; Autos, Others Hit by Supply Delays
–Output Posts Larger-than-Expected M/M Drop, 1st Y/Y Fall in 7 Months–METI Keeps View After Downgrade Last Month: Factory Output Pausing–METI Repeats: Watch Effects of Rising COVID Cases, Global Chip Shortages By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted the third straight monthly decline in September, coming in weaker than expected, as protracted global semiconductor […]
BOJ Kuroda: Current ‘Slight’ Yen Fall Beneficial for Japan’s Economy
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said Thursday that the recent depreciation of the yen has been limited in scope, and thus it is still good for Japan’s gradual economic recovery as its benefit of supporting exporter profits outweighs the cost of surging import prices. He also downplayed the risk […]