JAPAN Q3 GDP REVISED UP TO +5.3% Q/Q, +22.9% ANNUALIZED, ON FIRMER CONSUMPTION, CAPEX

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy for the July-September quarter surged an upwardly revised 5.3% on quarter, or an annualized 22.9%, from the initial reading of +5.0% (+21.4% annualized), as a rebound in consumer spending turned out to be stronger than previously estimated and the decline in business investment was smaller than initially believed, […]

JAPAN MOF SURVEY: Q3 CAPEX REMAINS WEAK; REVISION TO GDP CAPEX DATA SEEN LIMITED

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Business investment in equipment by many Japanese companies remained depressed in the July-September quarter, compared to year-earlier levels, but the pace of decline decelerated from the previous three-month period, a quarterly survey by the Ministry of Finance released Tuesday showed. This may prompt the Cabinet Office to make only a […]

JAPAN OCT FACTORY OUTPUT POSTS 5TH STRAIGHT M/M RISE, REMAINS ON PICKUP TREND

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production continued chugging along in October for the fifth consecutive monthly rise, recovering much of the pandemic-triggered slump as solid demand for general machinery and automobiles more than offset lower output of electronic parts and devices, preliminary data released Monday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry […]

JAPAN NOV TOKYO CORE CPI POSTS LARGEST Y/Y DROP IN OVER 8 YEARS AMID SLIDING ENERGY COSTS

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Tokyo, a leading indicator of the national average, posted a larger-than-expected drop in November, amid falling energy prices and a controversial government program to support the pandemic-hit tourism industry with hotel and transport discounts, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released Friday showed. The […]

JAPAN OCT CPI DROP DEEPER ON WEAKER ENERGY, GOVT-FINANCED TRAVEL DISCOUNTS

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese consumer prices posted a sharper drop in October as energy costs were slow to recover amid the global pandemic and the government campaign to save the hard-hit tourism industry by subsidizing hefty discounts had a wider impact, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication released Friday showed. […]

ANALYSIS: JAPAN FACES SLOW RIDE BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVEL OUTPUT

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – With luck, Japan’s economy has recovered about half of lost output amid the global pandemic and its momentum is lingering into the current quarter, but it is likely to lose steam in the New Year and could contract again. For an economy heavily dependent on China as a consumption and […]

JAPAN Q3 GDP RECOVERS HALF OF PANDEMIC-CAUSED RECORD PLUNGE IN Q2

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy for the July-September quarter surged 5.0% on quarter, or an annualized 21.4%, led by a rebound in net exports and consumer spending, but it only recovered just over a half of a record plunge in April-June amid the pandemic-triggered slowdown, Cabinet Office data released Monday showed. The first […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- DIVERSITY OF OPINION OR MUTUAL HATRED?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Quote of the week: “You know what’s really uncomfortable and annoying? When you die.” That’s New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, of course. The quote has been played through the day cablewise so it’s […]