JAPAN FACTORY OUTPUT POSTS 2ND STRAIGHT M/M SLIDE IN DEC BUT KEEPS Q/Q RISE
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production slipped for the second straight month in December as the auto industry, which had led the recent pickup in overall output, took a breather amid the pandemic, while production of turbines and laptops lost some steam after recent gains, preliminary data released Friday by the Ministry of […]
JAPAN JAN TOKYO CPI DROP EASES AS GOVT SUSPENDS HOTEL DISCOUNTS AMID SURGING COVID-19 CASES
— Lower energy prices remain key factor behind y/y fall in CPI By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Tokyo, a leading indicator of the national average, made an unexpectedly large month-on-month rebound in January, as the government suspended discounts on leisure traveling amid surging new coronavirus cases, data from the Ministry of Internal […]
IMF’S WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: WORLD GROWTH REVISED +0.3 TO 5.5%
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The International Monetary Fund’s January update to its World Economic Outlook Tuesday saw world growth revised up 0.3 to 5.5%, fueled by a vaccine-propelled recovery. Last year’s performance benefited from a stronger than previously seen second half and it was revised up 0.9 to a contraction of 3.5%. U.S. growth was revised […]
JAPAN GOVT SEES CONTINUED ECONOMIC PICKUP AMID MIXED DATA, UPGRADES VIEW ON CHINA
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Friday stuck to its recent assessment that the domestic economy is showing signs of a pickup from the pandemic-caused slump, pointing to a mixed bag of data – more cautious consumer spending against brighter spots in business investment and housing construction, according to its monthly report released by […]
JAPAN DEC CPI DROPS FURTHER ON LOWER ENERGY COSTS; HOTEL FEE DROP EASES AMID PANDEMIC
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese consumer prices posted a slightly sharper drop in December as energy costs continued falling. But a spike in coronavirus cases later in the month appeared to have slowed the use of the government-financed hefty discounts on hotel and transport charges, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication […]
BOJ KEEPS EASING POLICY STANCE AMID PANDEMIC, SLIGHTLY MORE UPBEAT ON FY21, 22 GROWTH
–Central Bank Still Sees Under 1% Inflation in 2 Years, Well Below 2% Target By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan has maintained its policy stance, as expected, after extending the period of special easing tools last month amid growing downside risks, while continuing to forecast that the domestic economy will recover part […]
JAPAN DEC EXPORTS POST 1ST RISE IN OVER 2 YEARS AMID UNCERTAIN OUTLOOK
By Mas Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports recorded the first year-on-year gain in just over two years, as largely expected, thanks to a recent gradual pickup in global demand, but the outlook for one of the key growth drivers for slow domestic recovery remains uncertain amid a surge in new coronavirus cases in many parts […]
BoA GLOBAL FUND MANAGER SURVEY: INVESTORS SEE STRONGER GROWTH IN 2021 AS WORLD RECOVERS FROM VIRUS
–Investors Eye Higher Stock Prices, Steeper Yield Curve, Rising Inflation by Vicki Schmelzer NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Global investors at the start of 2021 anticipated stronger growth in the months ahead as the world recovers from COVID-19, according to the findings of BofA Global Research’s monthly fund manager survey, released Wednesday. In line with […]
JAPAN NOV HOUSEHOLD SPENDING POSTS MODEST RISE ON YEAR BUT SLIPS FROM OCT AMID PANDEMIC FEARS
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending in November posted a modest rise from a year earlier, up for the second straight month, as the effects of a sales tax hike in October 2019 had faded, but consumption marked the first month-on-month decline in four months in light of rising new cases of the […]
JAPAN FACTORY OUTPUT PICKUP PAUSES IN NOV, SHIPMENTS SLIP, AMID PANDEMIC UNCERTAINTY
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production marked time in November in its gradual recovery from the pandemic-caused slump after five straight monthly gains, with the level of output staying under year-earlier levels amid uncertainty over global growth, preliminary data released Monday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed. While noting factory […]