Japan Week Ahead: BOJ Branch Managers Update on Regional Economies at Quarterly Meeting Ahead of April 27-28 Policy Decision
–February Household Spending Seen Sluggish amid Falling Real Wages; March Producer Inflation to Tick Up on Higher Energy Costs By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week in the new fiscal year that began on April 1. Bank of Japan branch managers will provide their latest assessments of […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Household Spending -0.8% Y/Y, +2.6% M/M in February
Consensus outlook for Mace News Tuesday, April 7, 20260830 JST (2350 GMT/1930 EDT Monday, April 6) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases the February average household spending.Mace News median forecasts: -0.8% y/y (range:-2.9% to +0.5%) vs. Jan -1.0%; +2.3% m/m (range: -0.9% to +3.9%) vs. Jan -2.5% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – […]
Japan Week Ahead: Diet Set to Enact Stop-Gap Budget, Continues Debating Record Spending in Fiscal 2026 Budget amid Spike in Oil Prices
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Lawmakers are set to approve a stop-gap budget to ensure uninterrupted social security payments and other essential spending while undergoing the final process of debating and enacting the full-year budget for fiscal 2026 starting April 1. Just as many households […]
Preview: Japan February Factory Output Forecast to Slip Back After Hitting 31-Month High in January, Retail Sales Seen Sluggish on Falling Fuel Prices
By Chikafumi Hodo Tuesday, March 310850 JST (2350 GMT/1950 EDT Monday, March 30) The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry releases preliminary February industrial production, the outlook for March, April.Mace News median: -2.0% m/m (range: -3.5% to -0.5%) vs. Jan revised to +4.3% from +2.2%; +0.4% y/y (range: -1.2% to +1.9%) vs. Jan revised to +0.7% from […]
Preview: Japan’s March Tokyo CPI Forecast to Show Tame Core and Overall Inflation Below BOJ’s 2% Target on Energy Subsidies, Easing Food Markups
By Chikafumi Hodo Tuesday, March 310830 JST (2330 GMT/1930 EDT Monday, March 30) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases March, fiscal 2025 average Tokyo CPI.Mace News median: total CPI +1.6% y/y (range: +1.4% to +1.6%) vs. Feb +1.6%; core CPI (ex-fresh food) +1.8% (range: +1.6% to +1.9%) vs. Feb +1.8%; core-core CPI (ex-fresh food, energy) […]
Japan Week Ahead: PM Takaichi Back to Inflation Fighting after Performing in Trump Diplomatic Theater; February Core CPI Seen Drifting Below BOJ’s 2%, Calm Before Iran War Storm
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Following last week’s majority decision by the Bank of Japan’s board to pause in its gradual rate hike process, CPI data for February is forecast to show core inflation moderated to an annual rate below the bank’s 2% target as […]
Japan Week Ahead: National Wealth Eroded by High Import Costs, Exports Weathering Trump Tariffs Thanks to Demand from Europe, Asia
–Bank of Japan in No Hurry to Raise Interest Rates to Counter Any Reversal in Easing Inflation amid Mideast War By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Parliamentary debate on the fiscal 2026 budget continues at the key lower house budget committee. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is […]
Preview: Japan’s Revised Q4 GDP Seen Supported by Capex and Domestic Demand, Public Spending to Improve
Tuesday, March 10 0850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Monday, March 9) Cabinet Office releases the revised GDP for October-December 2025.Mace News median: +0.3% q/q (range +0.2% to +0.4%) vs. Q4 prelim +0.1%; +1.3% annualized (range +0.8% to +1.5%) vs. Q4 prelim +0.2%; +0.3% y/y (range +0.2% to +0.4%) vs. Q4 prelim +0.1% By Chikafumi Hodo […]
Japan Week Ahead: PM Takaichi Faces Biggest Challenge in Office as Nation Braces for Major Crude Oil Supply Disruption, Return of Higher Energy Costs
–Japan Expected to Tide Over Impact of Temporary Iranian Blockade of Strait of Hormuz Despite Its Heavy Reliance on Middel East Oil, Gas By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Just as parliamentary debate on the fiscal 2026 budget has shifted to the key budget committee of […]
Update: IMF Official: BOJ Expected to Raise Policy Rate to 1.5% by Two 25-Basis Point Hikes This Year, One Next Year
–Updates with Official Remarks at Briefing, Background –IMF: BOJ Policy Interest Rate Below Estimated Neutral Rate, Echoing Recent Comments of BOJ Governor Ueda –IMF: Continued Unwinding of Monetary Stimulus to Lift BOJ’s Overnight Rate to Neutral In 2027 –IMF Advises Against Lowering 10% Sales Tax, Hails PM Takaichi Plan to Suspend it for 2 Years […]