Japan May Machine Orders Slump After April Rebound, Led by Pullback in Computer Demand from Financial, Transport Sectors
–Cabinet Office Keeps View: Machine Orders Pausing –Core Machinery Orders Unlikely to Achieve Official Forecast of 4.6% Q/Q Rise in April-June –BOJ’s June Quarter Tankan Survey Has Shown Firms Revise Up FY23 Capex Pans By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, came in much weaker […]
Japan May Household Spending Slumps on Volatile Factor of Mobile Vehicle Purchases, Financial Support
–Drop Also Due to Continued Shift to Lower Mobile Phone Plans; Spending on Traveling, Eating Out Remains Strong –Real Household Income Posts 8th Straight Y/Y Drop on Elevated Costs, Shorter Overtime Working Hours By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s real household spending fell more sharply than expected in May for a third straight decline on […]
BOJ June Quarter Tankan: Major Manufacturers’ Sentiment Posts 1st Rise in 7 Quarters on Improved Supply Chains, Food Price Markups
–Carmakers Expect Brighter Outlook in September; Food Producers See Pullback After Large Gain in June –Hotels, Restaurants See Slightly Lower September Sentiment After Jump in June; Real-Estate firms, Wholesalers Forecast Sizeable Declines –Both Large and Small Firms Revise Up Their Combined Capex Plans for Fiscal 2023 By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Confidence among major manufacturers […]
Japan May Industrial Production Slips as Parts Shortages Hit Auto Industry Again After Recent Pickup; Output Rebounds on Year
–METI Survey: Output Likely to Post Solid Gain in June, Slight Dip in July –METI Keeps View After Upgrade for March Data: Output Showing Gradual Pickup –METI Repeats: To Watch Effects of Parts Shortages, Inflation By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production posted its first drop in four months in May as automobile output […]
Japan May Jobless Rate Unchanged at 2.6% on Flat Job Cuts, Fewer People Looking for Work; Solid Job Creation on Year Continues
–Fewer People Quit for Other Openings or Start Looking for Work on Month; No Change in Job Losses, Retirements –Jobs Up Y/Y for 10th Straight Month, Led by Manufacturing, Hotels, Restaurants, Rebound in Construction –Number of Unemployed Marks 1st Drop in 3 Months By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese payrolls posted their 10th straight year-over-year […]
Japan May Retail Sales Y/Y Rise Led by Autos amid Improved Supply Chains, Recovering Department Stores
–METI Keeps View: Retail Sales on Gradual Uptrend –Demand for Cosmetics, Drugs Remains Solid; Sales of Appliances Stay Sluggish By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese retail sales posted their 15th straight year-over-year increase in May, thanks to faster deliveries of automobiles, gradually recovering department store sales and higher prices for food and beverages, mitigating the […]
BOJ June Meeting Summary: Board Warns Against Premature End to Monetary Easing as Inflation Outlook Has Both Upside, Downside Risks
–But Board Also Sees Need to Review Yield Curve Control Policy Framework Due to Its ‘High Cost’ By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan board members warned that a premature end to the bank’s decade-old large-scale monetary easing would undermine an emerging path toward stable 2% inflation with sustainable wage growth, according the summary […]
Japan May Core CPI Y/Y Rise Slows to 3.2% from April’s 3.4% on Further Drop in Energy Costs but Processed Food, Service Cost Markups Continue
–Utility Subsidies, Reduced Renewable Energy Surcharge Ease Inflation –Total CPI +3.2% Y/Y, Also Slower Than +3.5% Y/Y in April, 41-Year High of +4.3% in January –Core-Core CPI (Ex-Fresh Food, Energy) Annual Rate Creeps Up to 4.3%, Nearly 42-Year High By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer inflation in Japan eased back to just above 3% in […]
Japan Govt Keeps View on Moderate Economic Recovery After Last Month’s Upgrade, Sees Improving Labor Market
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday maintained its overall assessment in June after upgrading it for the first time in 10 months in May, saying the economy is recovering moderately thanks to resilient consumer spending and business investment despite high costs and global uncertainties, according to its monthly report released by the Cabinet […]
BOJ Keeps Easing Stance to Pursue Stable 2% Inflation, Wage Growth; Repeats April Outlook for Modest Economic Recovery, Slower CPI in Fiscal 2023
–BOJ Repeats: To Patiently Continue with Easing while Nimbly Responding to Developments in Economic Activity, Prices, Financial Conditions –Ueda in May 19 Speech: Need to See Wage Hikes Spread to Smaller Firms; Will Take Some Time to Achieve 2% Inflation Target By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Friday its policy board […]