Japan January Core CPI Rise Shrinks as Hotel, Insurance Upward Base Effects Wane

— Both Core and Total CPI Measures Mark 5th Straight Y/Y Gains on Energy — Utilities Push Up Overall Energy Costs; Durable Goods Prices Slide By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Japan posted the fifth straight year-on-year rise in January but the pace of increase decelerated sharply as the 2021 base effects of […]

Japan Government Downgrades View: Some Weakness Seen in Pickup Hit by Covid

— Pickup in Consumption Pausing on Resumed Covid Restrictions — Business Investment Moving Upward as Seen in Q4 GDP Rebound By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday downgraded its economic overview for the first time in five months, noting the recent spike in coronavirus cases sparked by the Omicron variant is hurting consumer spending, […]

Japan January Exports Post 11th Straight Rise on Reopening Demand but Pace Slows

–Import Gain Remains High on Energy, Leading to 6th Straight Trade Deficit –Exports to China Slip Leading to Lunar New Year Holidays –Auto Shipments Slide After Recent Pickup on Easing Supply Bottlenecks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports rose from a year earlier for the 11th straight month in January but at a slower […]

Japan December, Q4 Machine Orders Continue Rising; Slight Setback Seen in Q1

–Japan Government Upgrades View for 2nd Month: Machine Orders Picking Up By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, unexpectedly posted a third straight monthly gain in December, boding well for capital investment, which marked a modest rebound in October-December to support Q4 GDP growth, data […]

Japan Q4 GDP Rebounds as Parts Supply Improves, Covid Cases Subside

–Growth Led by Sharp Rise in Consumption, Modest Gains in Capex, Net Exports –Q1 GDP Faces Downside Risks As Govt Resumes Restrictions To Fight Rapid Covid Spread   –Japan’s Economy Posts 1st Growth in 3 Years in 2021 By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy rebounded in the October-December quarter, after contracting in July-September, as the […]

Japan January Producer Price Y/Y Rise Slows on Easing Energy, Commodities

–Japan Producer Prices Rebound M/M After Being Flat in December By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Producer prices in Japan continued rising from year-earlier levels in January amid lingering supply bottlenecks but the pace of increase decelerated further after hitting an over four-decade high in November in light of what appears to be a temporary easing […]

Updated Preview: Japan Q4 GDP Rebound Seen on Easing Supply Bottlenecks, Covid Lull

–Updates with latest consumption data in paras 6-7, government measures in para 17, ESP Forecast in paras 18-19, Watchers’ survey at bottom — Consumption, Capex, Net Export Gains Behind Expected Solid Q4 Growth — Q1 GDP Face Downside Risks As Omicron-Led Covid Spike Hurts Sentiment  By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for […]

Japan Dec Household Spending Dips Again; Q4 Rise Points To Solid GDP Growth

— Oct-Dec Household Spending +4.6% Q/Q; Q4 GDP Seen Up 1.4% Q/Q— Shrinking Demand for TVs, Food for Cooking Leads To Y/Y Drop in December— Spending on Dining Out, Traveling Up Y/Y But Ministry Keeps Close Watch By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending suffered a slight drop from a year earlier in December […]