Japan March, Fiscal 2021 Exports Hit Record Highs, Imports Surge at Faster Pace
–Imports Also at Record High on Energy, Leading to 8th Straight Trade Deficit –Exports to China Slower in March, Volumes Down on Year –Auto Exports Slip in March After February Rebound Amid Supply Bottlenecks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports hit a record high in March, marking the 13th straight year-on-year increase, on reopening […]
Japan February Machine Orders Post 2nd Straight Monthly Drop Amid Uncertainty
–Japan Govt Downgrades View: Pickup in Machine Orders Stalling By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, posted a sharper-than-expected second straight monthly drop in February amid uncertainty over economic growth caused by surging producer costs and the war in Ukraine, data released Wednesday by the […]
US ISM Manufacturing Index Slips in March on Inflation, Europe Slowdown, China Covid Spike 
–ISM: Ukraine War Behind Dramatic Rise in Prices Index –ISM: More Firms are Concerned About Rising Prices –ISM: Manufacturers’ Concerns Over Delivery Delays Eased from February –ISM: Fed Rate Hikes Long-Term Headwind but Positive for Inflation Now By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Growth in US manufacturing activity slowed in March as surging energy and commodities […]
BOJ March Tankan Business Sentiment Slips on Covid, Ukraine; Capex Plans Revised Down
–Fall in Sentiment After Recent Improvement Not As Bad As Forecast –Major Firms Revise Down FY21 Capex Plans, See Small Rise in FY22 –Smaller Firms Unexpectedly Revise Down FY21 Capex Plans; Cautious of FY22 By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Confidence among many sectors in Japan slipped in March after improving for the sixth straight quarter […]
Japan February Industrial Output Posts Small Rebound on Easing Covid Spike, Supply Shortages
–Carmakers, Electric/Telecom Makers See High Output in March, April –METI: Forecast May Be Revised Down; Survey Taken Before March 16 Earthquake –METI Keeps View: Factory Output Shows Signs of Pickup –METI Repeats: To Watch Effects of Pandemic, Parts Shortages, Ukraine By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted a slight rebound in February, marking […]
Preview: BOJ March Tankan To Show Sentiment Hit by Omicron Spike, Ukraine War
–Sentiment Among Manufacturers, Non-Manufacturers Seen Down After Recent Pickup –Small Business Sentiment Indexes Expected to Remain in Negative Territory –Major Firms Expected to Revise Down FY21 Capex Plans, See Small FY22 Gain –Smaller Firms Playing Catchup in FY21 Capex as They Tend To Do Toward Fiscal Yearend By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of […]
Japan’s Eastern Areas Face Power Shortages After Quake Amid Winter Weather
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Japanese government issued a rare warning of power shortages in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, urging businesses and households to cut electricity use by 10%, starting Tuesday, as heating demand is rising and supply is falling after last week’s major earthquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency is forecasting cold weather with […]
US ISM Manufacturing Index Rebounds in February on New Orders
–ISM: Conflict in Ukraine Unlikely To Hurt US Manufacturing Expansion –ISM Concerned Rising Energy Prices To Provide Headwinds To US Economy –ISM Survey Shows Supply Chain Constraints Remain, Backlogs Grow By Max Sato (MaceNews) – US manufacturing activity rebounded in February after Covid restrictions caused by the Omicron variant slowed the sector’s growth in January, […]
Toyota To Suspend Japanese Domestic Factory Operations as Suspected Cyberattack Hits Supplier
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Toyota Motor said Monday that it will suspend all domestic factory operations on Tuesday after one of its parts suppliers was hit by a suspected cyberattack, adding to challenges for the auto industry that is already suffering from global chip shortages and pandemic-caused supply bottlenecks. It is unknown who staged […]
Japan January Exports Post 11th Straight Rise on Reopening Demand but Pace Slows
–Import Gain Remains High on Energy, Leading to 6th Straight Trade Deficit –Exports to China Slip Leading to Lunar New Year Holidays –Auto Shipments Slide After Recent Pickup on Easing Supply Bottlenecks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports rose from a year earlier for the 11th straight month in January but at a slower […]