Japan Aug Core CPI Flat Y/Y After Year-Long Drop; Energy Pickup Slows

— Total CPI Marks 11th Straight Y/Y Drop As Fresh Vegetable Prices Slump — Downward Pressure From Low Cost Mobile Phone Plans Intensifies By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Higher costs for energy and processed food continued easing the downward pressure on Japan’s core consumer prices, which was flat on year in August after a year-long […]

BOJ Keeps Easing Stance, Sees Resilient Japan Economic Pickup Amid Pandemic

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Wednesday it is maintaining its stimulative policy, as expected, to support a gradual recovery from the pandemic-caused slump and continue its eight-year-old campaign to guide low inflation toward stable 2%. The central bank largely left its view on Japan’s resilient economic pickup amid the pandemic […]

Japan Govt Sees Slower Economic Pickup Amid Disrupted Supply Chains, Pandemic Spike

— Consumption, Factory Output Downgraded While Exports on Track By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday provided a more cautious view of the recent pickup in the domestic economy, saying its pace is slowing in the face of global supply chain disruptions and a surge in coronavirus cases, according to its monthly report released […]

Japan Aug Export Rise Slows; Trade Deficit on Energy, Vaccine Import Surge

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports continued rising at a double-digit rate on year in August after the pandemic-triggered 2020 slump, but their momentum lost steam amid global supply chain disruptions and rising Covid-19 cases, data released Thursday by the Ministry of Finance showed. Demand for Japanese iron and steel as well as semiconductor-producing […]

US, UK And Australia Announce ‘New Alignment’ in the Indo-Pacific

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is the White House transcript of the background press call on AUKUS, the sweeping declaration of cooperation among the U.S., the UK and Australia, to strengthen joint defense against China. The transcript of the call, held on an embargoed basis before the official announcement available at whitehouse.gov, adds much additional […]

Japan July Machine Orders Rebound Slightly; Pickup from 2020 Continues

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, rebounded slightly in July, staying on course toward a second consecutive quarterly rise in July-September, data released Wednesday by the Cabinet Office showed. Orders from manufacturers marked the fourth straight rise while those from non-manufacturers posted the first […]

Japan Q2 GDP Rebound Firmer Than Initially Estimated, Led by Capex Revision

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economic rebound in the April-June quarter was firmer than expected as business investment in upgrading factories and offices turned out to be stronger than previously reported, Cabinet Office data released Wednesday showed. Revised second quarter GDP data confirmed that consumer spending remained resilient despite on-and-off restrictions on economic activity […]

Japan July Household Spending Sluggish Amid Covid-19 Restrictions

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending was lackluster in July, posting a weaker-than-expected rise from a year earlier and marking the third straight month-on-month decline, as restrictions on economic activity lingered, data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed. The government is not imposing lockdowns in its efforts to […]