Japan Week Ahead: Prime Minister Takaichi Appears Set to Call February General Elections amid Rising Tension in Middle East, Risking Delayed Budget Approval
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese events for the coming week. Market participants are getting ready for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to call a snap election at the start of the 150-day ordinary Diet session on Jan. 23 following weekend news reports that she is weighing the option of dissolving the […]
Analysis: Japan Snap Election Chatter Heats Up as PM Takaichi Weighs Boosting Lower House Seats amid High Approval Ratings, Unstable Coalition
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Talk of snap elections is intensifying around Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as she ponders the logical option to call a snap election to lift her scandal-tainted conservative Liberal Democratic Party in the lower house before the honeymoon period wanes. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported late on Friday that Takaichi is […]
Enormous Questions After US Capture of Venezuela’s Maduro and Claimed Takeover of Oil Resources
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The stunning overnight U.S. military operation, involving thousands of troops and more than 150 aircraft, not only has captured Nicolas Maduro heading for a New York court appearance, but has brought a new geopolitical reality to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and perhaps far beyond. Though planned for months, there was no formal notification […]
Japan Week Ahead: Stocks Ending 2025 on High Note, Bond Yields Up on BOJ Rate Hike Outlook but Yen Remains Depressed
–PM Takaichi Keeps High Approval Ratings but Faces Challenges as Beijing Reacts to Her Taiwan Remarks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming two weeks. Japanese markets are closed for yearend and New Year’s holidays from Wednesday, Dec. 31 until Friday, Jan. 2. Trading will resume on […]
FOMC Cuts Funds Rate 25 BP, Projects Single 25 BP Cut By End Of 2026
– Powell Signals Pause, Saying FOMC Can Now ‘Wait and See’ How Economy Evolves – Powell: After 175 BP of Easing, Funds Rate in ‘Plausible’ Range of ‘Neutral’ – FOMC Declares Reserves ‘Ample’; to Start Buying Shorter Term Treasuires By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – At their final monetary policy meeting of 2025 Wednesday, a […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed Chair Powell Sees Policy Rate Within Range of Neutral Rate and Payrolls Now Negative
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a rough transcript of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s post-FOMC news conference Wednesday:
TRANSCRIPT: President Trump and NY Mayor-Elect Mamdani Q&A – White House pool report
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a transcript of the extended Q&A session of President Trump and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdami which began at 3:37 p.m. ET Friday: Trump: I thank you very much. We’ve just had a great meeting, very productive meeting. One thing in common, we want this city of ours that […]
Fed Officials Showing Caution, Even As Some Call for December Rate Cut
– Goolsbee, Hammack, Cook All Uneasy About Moving Again Next Month – Waller Strongly Supports December Rate Cut By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – With the Federal Reserve’s last monetary policy meeting of the year just three weeks away, many Fed officials are exhibiting greater reluctance to continue interest rate reductions, while some continue to […]
UPDATE: Japan Weekahead: October Exports Seen Up but Sluggish, Academic Type BOJ Board Member Koeda to Make Debut Speech Before December Meeting
–MOF has made a rare change to its trade statistics release date, citing the need to ensure the accuracy of the latest figures after finding that it failed to move parts of collected data over to a new customs computer system on Oct. 12. By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed Chair Powell Says December Rate Cut ‘Not a Foregone Conclusion’
–‘Strongly Differing Views’ About December FOMC WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a transcript of most of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s Wednesday post-FOMC meeting news conference: … Beyond the next year or two, or so; however, most measures of longer-term expectations remain consistent with our 2% inflation goal. For monetary policy actions are guided […]