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 […]

USTR Tai: China’s Trade Practices At Odds with WTO Pledges

By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – US Trade Representative Katherine Tai Wednesday admonished China for pursuing an aggressive state-led industrial policy at odds with market-oriented trade norms. “China has not moved to embrace the market-oriented principles on which the WTO and its rules are based, despite the representations that it made when it joined 20 […]

Pres Biden: Haven’t Verified Any Russia Withdrawal; GOP Prepares Sanctions Bill

By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Biden Tuesday said he has not verified Russia claims it is withdrawing some forces from nearby Ukraine as Republicans prepare their own sanctions legislation. In a brief statement delivered as U.S. stocks were posting gains on the possibility of a Russian drawdown, the president tempered the optimism with […]

Economic Sentiment Improved in Germany During February, ZEW Says

ZURICH (MaceNews) – Economic sentiment in Germany improved in February, up 2.6 points to 54.3, according to the latest report from the Mannheim-based ZEW Institute. Today’s result was exactly in line with the median of 54.3 in an Econoday survey of economists’ forecasts. Moreover, current conditions were also seen in a more positive light, improving […]

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 […]

Canada’s PM Trudeau Invokes Emergencies Act To Clear Trucker Blockades

— Trudeau: Fresh Tools ‘Time-Limited, Geographically Specific’ — Trudeau: Not Calling in Military As Solution To Ending Illegal Occupations By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that he has invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time ever, which will give the federal government temporary 30-day extraordinary powers to help […]

Reports: Canada’s PM Trudeau Weighs Using Emergency Act to Clear Trucker Blockades

(MaceNews) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is considering using the Emergency Act, which would limit civil liberties and give the federal government temporary powers to help end blockades at US borders by truckers protesting Covid mandates, news reports said. Trudeau told his Liberal Party caucus on Monday he would invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act […]