Japan March Spending Rebounds But Jan-March Dip Points To Q1 GDP Drop

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending posted the first year-on-year rise in four months in March, partly in reaction to the slump seen a year earlier, when the first wave of the pandemic hit the world, prompting people to reduce traveling and eating out, data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs […]

Japan Mar Factory Output Rebounds on Limited Chip Shortage Impact

By Max Sato –METI: Producers See Capex Demand to Lead April Output (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production unexpectedly rebounded in March as the impact of semiconductor shortages was limited and the drag from a quake-triggered supply chain constraint eased, preliminary data released Friday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed. In the near-term, […]

Japan Apr Tokyo CPI Slip on Lower Mobile Phone User Fees

By Max Sato –Gasoline Prices on Clear Uptrend But Energy Costs Still Down on Year (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Tokyo, a leading indicator of the national average, posted a slightly larger year-on-year drop in the core reading in April, compared to March, as mobile carriers lowered communications fees in response to a government request, […]

Japan Mar CPI Drop Eases Further on Higher Gasoline Prices

By Max Sato –Hotel Fees Stop Falling Without Subsidized Discounts (MaceNews) – The recent pickup in energy markets eased downward pressure on Japanese consumer prices in March, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication released Friday showed, but the outlook for growth and inflation remains uncertain amid a renewed spike in coronavirus infections […]

Japan Govt Keeps View on Economic Pickup Despite Surging Pandemic Cases

– Japan Sees Firmer U.S. Economic Recovery Due To Stimulus Package By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday maintained its view that the domestic economy is moving toward a recovery despite a resurgence of coronavirus infections in many regions, according to its monthly report released by the Cabinet Office. The government said, “signs of […]

Japan Mar Exports Rebound Sharply on China, U.S. Recovery Demand

By Max Sato — Exports to U.S., EU Rebound in March; Asian Demand Remains Solid— Japan’s FY20 Exports Dip for 2 Years in a Row; Trade in Surplus (MaceNews) – Japanese exports rebounded more strongly than expected in March after a temporary slip in February and pre-Lunar New Year rush shipments in January, maintaining a […]

US Tsy’s FX Report Finds No Formal FX Manipulators, Adds to Monitoring List

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. Treasury Department, in its latest evaluation of whether other countries use foreign exchange as a means to boost its competitiveness in trade under criteria set by two different laws, gave China and every other country a pass, but added to its list of countries it closely monitors. The summary of […]

Japan Feb Machine Orders Unexpectedly Down for 2nd Straight Month

— Govt Downgrades View: Pickup in Machinery Orders Is Marking Time By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, surprisingly slumped in February, confirming some sectors are still cautious about replacing or upgrading capacity, data released Wednesday by the Cabinet Office showed. Earlier this month, the […]