Japan Week Ahead: Stocks Ending 2025 on High Note, Bond Yields Up on BOJ Rate Hike Outlook but Yen Remains Depressed
–PM Takaichi Keeps High Approval Ratings but Faces Challenges as Beijing Reacts to Her Taiwan Remarks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming two weeks. Japanese markets are closed for yearend and New Year’s holidays from Wednesday, Dec. 31 until Friday, Jan. 2. Trading will resume on […]
Japan Week Ahead: Inflation Easing Toward Bank of Japan’s 2% Target; Factory Output to Slip Back but Has Firm Undertone, Bucking US Tariff Damper
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming week following the Bank of Japan board’s unanimous decision to raise the overnight interest rate target by 25 basis points to a 30-year high of 0.75% in light of easing uncertainties over global trade rows initiated by the Trump administration. […]
Japan Govt Sticks to Modest Recovery Outlook as Exports Weather Trump Tariff Storms; BOJ Hikes Rates on Easing Trade Uncertainties, Vows to Raise More
–BOJ Governor Ueda: Policy Rate at 0.75% After Latest 25-Bp Hike Still ‘Slightly Below’ Estimated Neutral Rate By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese government policymakers are holding on to their conviction that the economy will stay on a modest recovery track as the latest trade data showed a rebound in exports to the key U.S. […]
BofA Global Research Fund Manager Survey: Investor Optimism High in December on ‘Run-it-Hot’ Macro and Policy Expectations
–Macro-optimism Highest Since August 2021 –Expectation For Higher Bond Yields Highest Since April 2022 by Vicki Schmelzer NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Global investor optimism was high in December, driven by “’run-it-hot’ macro and policy expectations,” according to the latest BoA Global Fund Managers survey, released Tuesday. This month, a net 18% of those polled looked […]
Bank of Japan Survey: Majority of Firms Plan to Keep Current High Pace of Wage Hikes in Fiscal 2026
–Combined with Improving Business Confidence in Tankan, Wages Survey Points to BOJ Rate Hike This Week By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Three days before its policy-setting meeting, the Bank of Japan on Monday released the results of a quick survey that showed a majority of companies plan to maintain the existing relatively high pace of […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japanese Core CPI +3.0% for November, Well Above 2% BOJ Target
Consensus outlook for Mace NewsFriday, Dec. 19, 20250830 JST (2330 GMT/1830 EST Thursday, Dec. 18) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases November CPIMace News median: total CPI +2.9% y/y (range: +2.8% to +3.0%) vs. Oct +3.0%; core CPI (ex-fresh food) +3.0% y/y (range: +2.8% to +3.1%) vs. Oct +3.0%; core-core CPI (ex-fresh food, […]
Update: Japan Week Ahead: Bank of Japan Set to Hike Rates amid Easing Uncertainty over Trade Rows, Focus on Governor Ueda Remarks on Estimated Neutral Rate
–Adds Context to Economy Watchers Survey in Paragraphs 15-17 (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming week, with the market focus on what the governor of the Bank of Japan will say about a widely expected interest rate hike and how much more the bank should lift the overnight rate […]
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 […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japanese Machinery Orders Showing Retreat in October
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 20250850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Tuesday, Dec. 16) The Cabinet Office releases October machinery orders.Mace News median: core orders -2.6% m/m (range: -5.0% to +2.7%) vs. Sept +4.2%; +3.6% y/y (range: +0.6% to +9.1%) vs. Sept +11.6% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s core machinery orders, a key leading indicator of […]
FOMC Cuts Funds Rate 25 BP, Projects Single 25 BP Cut By End Of 2026
– Powell Signals Pause, Saying FOMC Can Now ‘Wait and See’ How Economy Evolves – Powell: After 175 BP of Easing, Funds Rate in ‘Plausible’ Range of ‘Neutral’ – FOMC Declares Reserves ‘Ample’; to Start Buying Shorter Term Treasuires By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – At their final monetary policy meeting of 2025 Wednesday, a […]