Japan Still Sees Modest Economic Recovery but Warns It Now Needs to Watch Future US Policy amid Headwinds of Inflation, Middle East Tensions, Weak Yen
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its overall assessment that the economy’s “modest recovery” is set to continue thanks to wage hikes amid widespread labor shortages, but urged a close watch on the future U.S. government policy as well as lingering high costs for necessities, geopolitical risks and the weak yen. In its […]
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 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 […]
Preview: Japan Q2 GDP to Post Modest Rebound After Slumping in Q1 but Consumption Remains Sluggish amid High Costs
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for the April-June quarter is forecast to post a modest rebound after suffering its first contraction in two quarters in January-March, up 0.6% on quarter, or an annualized 2.3%, as consumption and business investment picked up from the drag of suspended output at Toyota group factories […]
US July ISM Manufacturing in Contraction for 4th Straight Month as Soft Demand, Job Cuts Continue, Firms Await Fed Rate Cut
–ISM Manufacturing Index Dips to 46.8 from 48.5 in June, Well Below Median Forecast of 48.8–ISM’s Fiore: Sector in Temporary Trough, Not Diving into New Slump–Fiore: Firms Concerned About Supply Chain Disruptions amid Geopolitical Risks–Fiore: US Election Also Generating Uncertainty Over Future Energy Policy By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity was in contraction […]
Japan June Jobless Rate Edges Down to 2.5%, 1st Drop in 5 Months as Number of New Job Seekers Slumps
–Employment Marks 23rd Straight Y/Y Rise, Led by Surge in Wholesale/Retail; Manufacturing Jobs Post 4th Drop in a Row–Number of Unemployed Up Y/Y for 3rd Straight Month By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese payrolls posted the 23rd straight rise on year in June, led by a surge in the wholesale and retail industry which offset […]
Japan Government Keeps Its View on Economic Recovery amid Wage Hikes, Warns of Drag from High US, European Rates, China’s Real-Estate Woes
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government maintained its overall assessment that the economy is recovering “moderately” and is likely to stay on course as many firms are raising wages at a higher pace to secure workers and although exports are now largely flat. In its monthly report released Thursday by the Cabinet Office, the […]
ISM: US Services Sector Unexpectedly Slips Back into Contraction; Key Index Hits Lowest Since Early Phase of Pandemic Slump
US service business contracts in June
Japan May Jobless Rate Steady at 2.6% for 3rd Straight Month; Job Cuts Steady, More People Join Market Looking for Work
Japanese unemployment steady
TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Says Waiting for Better Inflation Data, In Addition to ‘Encouraging’ CPI Report
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s bottom line is that more inflation data is needed before any rate cuts regardless of the “dot plot” and regardless of the day’s encouraging Consumer Price Index report. The transcript of his post-FOMC news conference follows: Inflation has eased substantially from a peak of 7% to 2.7% […]