Bundesbank’s Weidmann Makes Surprise Announcement, to Step Down at Year End

— ECB Governing Council to Lose One Of Its Most Hawkish Rate Setters By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Jens Weidmann, president of Germany’s Bundesbank, will relinquish his position at the end of 2021, ridding the European Central Bank of one its most hawkish voices. Weidmann has asked German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to “dismiss” him […]

Japan Sept Exports Slower as Global Supply Chain Snag Cuts Auto Shipments

— Imports Surge on Energy, Vaccines, Leading to 2nd Straight Trade Deficit By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports stayed above the level seen a year earlier in September but the pace of increase continued decelerating as carmakers and electronics firms cannot meet reopening demand amid worsening global supply chain disruptions, data released Wednesday by […]

BofA Global Research Fund Manager Survey:  Increasingly Negative World Growth Outlook Prompt Former Bulls To Retreat in October

By Vicki Schmelzer — Record Underweight in Bonds On Rate Hike Jitters NEW YORK (MaceNews) – World growth expectations fell more markedly in October, prompting formerly bullish global investors to retreat, according to the findings of BofA Global Research’s monthly fund manager survey, released Tuesday. Growth expectations were weighed by fears of higher interest rates, […]

BOC Q3 Survey Shows Business Sentiment Up, Tougher Supply Constraints

— More Firms in Canada See Above 3% Inflation Over 2 Years By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Sentiment among companies in Canada, particularly those in the services sector, continued to pick up in the July-September quarter on expectations of a gradual reopening of the economy and national borders, the Bank of Canada’s quarterly Business Outlook […]

Japan Govt Keeps Cautious View on Economy, Noting Slower Export Growth

–Japan Sees Global Economic Pickup But Downgrades China Growth Pace   By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Friday maintained its cautious view on the pace of domestic economic recovery as global supply chain disruptions linger and export growth slows, according to its monthly report released by the Cabinet Office. The government said the economy […]

Japan Aug Machine Orders Expectedly Dip After Recent Computer Demand

–Japan Govt Downgrades View: Pickup in Machine Orders Pausing–Cabinet Office Official: Demand for Computers Seen on Firm Trend–Q3 Core Orders Seen Unlikely to Grow 11% Q/Q, As Projected Earlier By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, unexpectedly slumped in August as demand for computers took […]

<strong>Japan Sentiment Picks Up on Vaccine Rollout But Q3 GDP Seen Slower</strong>

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s sentiment surveys painted a rosier picture as the government has lifted its Covid-19 state of emergency on heavily hit regions, setting the stage for gradually reopening the economy, but global supply chain disruptions remain a major hindrance to recovery. The monthly Economy Watchers Survey, which was conducted by the […]

Supply Bottlenecks Punish German Economic Sentiment in October

ZURICH (MaceNews) – Economic sentiment in Germany fell in October as supply bottlenecks for raw materials and intermediate products hamper the economy, according to the latest report from the ZEW Institute in Mannheim. The ZEW index of economic sentiment fell 4.2 points to 22.3 in October, below the 24.0 median of an Econoday survey of […]

Japan Aug Household Spending Slips Amid 5th Wave of Pandemic, Bad Weather

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending plunged in August as people were cautious about shopping or traveling amid the fifth wave of pandemic that was causing hospital bed shortages in major cities, data released Friday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed. Heavy rains from mid-August caused damage and disrupted traffic […]