Preview: Forecasters See Japan Exports Up 11.9%, Imports Up 3.1% on Year in January
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Tuesday, Feb. 17) The Ministry of Finance releases January trade.Mace News survey median: exports +11.9% y/y (range: +4.9% to +14.5%) vs. Dec. +5.1%; imports +3.1% y/y (range: -2.4% to +7.0%) vs. a revised +5.2% in December from +5.3; trade deficit ¥2,211.45 billion (range: a deficit of ¥2,461.70 […]
Japan Week Ahead: Prime Minister Takaichi Set to Be Re-Elected in Diet After Ruling Conservative Party LDP Clinches Supermajority in General Election
–Q4 GDP to Confirm Tepid Rebound, January Trade to Indicate Solid Export Growth, Q4 Machine Orders Seen Up, Inflation Easing Further By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will go through a largely ceremonial parliamentary vote on Wednesday to be re-elected after the […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japan Producer Price Rise Slowing to 2.3% Y/Y in January
Thursday, Feb. 12, 20260850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Wednesday, Feb.11) The Bank of Japan releases the January corporate goods price index.Mace News median: CGPI +2.3% y/y (range: +2.0% to +2.4%) vs. Dec +2.4%; +0.2% m/m (range: -0.1% to +0.3%) vs. Dec +0.1% By Chikafumi Hodo (MaceNews) – Japan’s producer inflation is expected to rise on […]
Preview: Japan Q4 GDP to Rebound on Gains in Capex, Consumption, Exports, but Momentum Remains Weak
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Backed by gains in capital investment, gradual rises in exports, and continuing modest recovery in private consumption, Japan’s real gross domestic product is expected to rebound and post its first positive growth in two quarters in the October–December period, following a sharp contraction in the previous quarter. Still, the […]
US ISM Services Sector Afloat over Optimism for Better Business in 2026 but AI Boom Causing Capacity Concerns; Overall Cost Pressures Remain High
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector posted a 19th straight month of expansion in January on general optimism that things will turn around in 2026 in the aftermath of Trump tariff storms but the pace of activity was flat on the month as data center expansion is causing capacity concerns and rising […]
Japan Week Ahead: Newspapers Predict PM Takaichi’s LDP Likely to Win Simple Majority in General Election but Warn Things Could Change Closer to Feb. 8 Vote
–Household Spending Seen Indicating Resilient Consumption in Q4 GDP Expected to Post Rebound After Economy’s 1st Contraction in 6 Quarters in Q3 By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. So, there was no actual market intervention by the Ministry of Finance to sell dollars for yen last […]
Preview: Japanese Household Spending Expected Up 0.1% on Year in December with Ongoing Boost from Autos
Friday, Feb. 6, 20260830 JST (2350 GMT/1830 EST Thursday, Feb. 5) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases the December and the annual 2025 average household spending. Mace News median forecasts: +0.1% y/y (range: -3.7% to +1.0%) vs. Nov +2.9%; -0.4% m/m (range: -3.5% to +0.1%) vs. Nov +6.2% By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) […]
FOMC Chooses Middle Ground, With No Rate Cut and Inflation Only ‘Somewhat Elevated,’ Unemp Showing Some Signs of Stabilization
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is the text of Wednesday afternoon’s Federal Open Market policy statement: Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization. Inflation remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment […]
Preview: Forecasters See Japanese Unemployment Rate Flat at 2.6% in Jan.
Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 0830 JST (2330 GMT/1830 EST Thursday, Jan. 29) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases December jobs. Mace News median:2.6% (range: 2.5% to 2.6%)vs. 2.6% in the previous four months, over 5-year low of 2.3% in July, 2.5% from March to June By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s seasonally […]
Preview: Forecasters See Tokyo CPI +1.8% on Year in Jan.
Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 0830 JST (2330 GMT/1830 EST Thursday, Jan. 29) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases January Tokyo CPI Mace News median: total CPI +1.8% y/y (range: +1.6% to +1.9%) vs. Dec +2.0%; core CPI (ex-fresh food) +2.2% (range: +2.1% to +2.2%) vs. Dec +2.3%; core-core CPI (ex-fresh food, energy) +2.6% […]