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 […]

BOJ Keeps Easing Stance; Covid Risk Remains, Public Inflation Views Picking Up

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Thursday it is maintaining its stimulative policy, as expected, to support economic recovery from the pandemic-caused 2020 slump and continue guiding near-zero inflation toward its elusive 2% target. The central bank remains optimistic about the medium-term outlook for steady recovery following short-term weakness, but also […]

Japan Sept Retail Sales Dip on Pandemic Restrictions, Slashed Car Output

(MaceNews) – Japanese retail sales came in firmer than expected in September but they still posted the second straight year-on-year drop as Covid-19 restrictions remained in place until the end of the month and supply chain disruptions choked new car deliveries, data released Thursday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed. The ministry […]

Bank of Canada Sees Rate Hike in Mid-2022, Earlier Than Forecast Before

–BOC Brings Forward Rate Hike Timing From 2nd Half 2022 on Economic Pickup–BOC Revises Up 2022 CPI Forecast Sharply Higher, Slashes 2021 GDP Projection–Central Bank Keeps 0.25% Policy Rate As Expected But Ends Asset Purchases By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada left its record-low policy interest rate unchanged Wednesday but revised its […]

German Oct Business Confidence Dampened by Supply Delays

ZURICH (MaceNews) – Business confidence in Germany was hampered by supply delays, according to the latest report from the Munich-based Ifo institute. The IFO Business Climate Index fell to 97.7 in October, slightly below the Econoday median of 98.1 in a survey of economists’ forecasts. The September result was revised to 98.9, from the 98.8 […]

ECB’s Monetary Policy To Stay On Course Despite Inflation Rise – BOI

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank’s monetary policy is expected to remain accommodative despite the “significant” but “temporary” rise in inflation across the eurozone, the Bank of Italy said in its Economic Bulletin released on Friday. According to the BOI “the significant rise in inflation is attributable to the increases in […]

Japan Sept Core CPI Marks 1st Y/Y Rise in 18 Months on Utilities

— Overall Energy Costs Up; Pace of Gasoline Markup Eases Slightly— Total CPI Posts 1st Y/Y Gain in 13 Months on Rebound in Fresh Food— Downward Pressure From Low Cost Mobile Phone Plans Lingers By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Global supply chain disruptions and reopening demand led energy and processed food costs to rise further, […]