BOC Q4 Survey: Business Sentiment Up on Capacity Pressures, Demand Pickup

— Survey Conducted Nov. 15-Dec. 6, Before Surge in Omicron-Led Covid Cases — 67% of Firms in Canada See Above 3% Inflation Over 2 Years Vs. 45% in Q3 — BOJ Nov Consumer Survey: More Concerned About Inflation, Hard To Control By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Sentiment among companies in Canada continued improving toward the […]

Japan Nov Machine Orders Post 2nd Straight Rise as Supply Bottlenecks Ease

–Japan Govt Upgrades View: Machine Orders Showing Signs of Pickup By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, marked the second straight monthly gain in November as parts supply constraints continued easing and new Covid cases ebbed before the Omicron variant triggered a global resurgence, data […]

NY Fed’s Williams: ‘Makes Sense’ To Begin To Remove Accommodation

‘Dramatic’ Job Gains, High Inflation Means ‘Approaching’ Liftoff Doesn’t Expect Steep Rate Hikes; Rejects ‘Extreme Scenarios’ Funds Rate Should Go ‘Somewhere Above 2% Down The Road’ Unclear How Long After Liftoff Balance Sheet Shrinkage Will Start Not As Long As Last Time By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – New York Federal Reserve Bank President John […]

Japan December Producer Prices Ease on Dip in Energy, Commodities Markets

— BOJ’s Corporate Goods Price Index Y/Y Rise Still at Over 4-Decade High — CGPI Dips M/M on Sharp Drop in Fuels, Easing in Non-Ferrous Metals By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Producer prices in Japan unexpectedly slipped on the month in December, reflecting a recent easing in energy and commodities markets, but the year-over-year increase, […]

FED BEIGE BK SEES MODEST EXPANSION, HIGHER PRICES, SOME COOLING OF EXPECTATIONS, SOME SUPPLY CHAIN STABILIZATION

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The latest Beige Book survey of economic conditions coast-to-coast saw a “modest” pace of expansion as 2021 ended, with some cooling of the generally optimistic expectations for the new year and some scattered improvement in transportation bottlenecks, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. The survey, assembled by the Kansas City Fed through January […]

Berlusconi’s Potential Run For Italy’s Presidency Triggers Political Chaos – Sources

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – The potential candidacy of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to the top office of Italy’s presidency is raising political chaos at a critical time when parties should seek a compromise on a high level, impartial figure to elect, according to political sources. After having faced 36 trials the scandal-ridden […]

KC Fed’s George Prefers Shrinking Balance Sheet ‘Earlier Rather Than Later’

– ‘Time Has Come’ To Transition to More ‘Normal’ Monetary Stance – Urges FOMC Should ‘Take First Step’ to Tighten Monetary Policy – FOMC Could Raise Rates First, but Must Start to Shrink Balance Sheet By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Esther George asserted the need Tuesday for a […]

<strong>Powell Vows to Keep ‘Elevated’ Inflation From Getting ‘Entrenched;’ Doesn’t Say How</strong>

By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) –  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell pledges the Fed will act to prevent already “elevated” inflation from becoming further “entrenched” in congressional testimony prepared for delivery Tuesday morning. However, the Fed chief does not elaborate on how precisely he and his fellow policymakers will proceed to combat wage-price pressures in […]