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, […]

White House Transcript of Biden-Xi Backgrounder Briefing

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is the White House transcript of the late Tuesday background teleconference in which reporters were briefed on the three-hour virtual meeting of Pres Biden and China’s President Xi: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on President Biden’s Virtual Meeting with President Xi of the People’s Republic of China  Via […]

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 […]

US House-Passed Infrastructure Bill Gets Presidential Signature in Coming Days

By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – After months of wrangling and tense back-and-forth negotiations, the House of Representatives finally passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending bill shortly before midnight Friday. Saturday morning President Biden hailed it as an inflection point toward winning “the competition of  the 21st century., The legislation passed 228-206 with 13 Republicans […]