Japan’s Ruling Coalition Loses Majority in Upper House After Last Year’s Loss in Lower Chamber Election; PM Ishiba Leadership in Question amid Voter Ire Over Inflation, Political Scandals
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s ruling coalition failed to clinch a majority in Sunday’s upper house elections, as widely expected, amid voter frustration over rising costs of living and a string of political funding scandals, just nine months after it lost a majority in the more powerful lower chamber of parliament. It is the […]
Japan Weekahead: Ruling Coalition May Lose in Upper House Election; Tokyo CPI to Show Further Easing but Inflation Seen Still around 3% Amid High Processed Food Prices
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week. – Sunday, July 20 Voting and vote counting for the House of Councillors general elections. Opinion polls show the ruling coalition led by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party may lose a majority in the upper house, which […]
Preview: Bank of Japan Q2 Tankan to Show Business Sentiment Slipped as Trump Tariffs Hit Auto, Metal Industries, High Costs Slow Consumers Spending
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan business survey is forecast to show confidence was flat or deteriorated in most categories in the June quarter, hit by Trump tariffs on vehicles, metals and other goods, with automakers lowering export prices to pay for higher import costs for U.S. customers, according to […]
Fed’s Powell Allows For Rate Cuts ‘Sooner Rather Than Later” – If Inflation Behaves
– Repeats FOMC Can Afford to Wait and Be Careful Amid Great Uncertainty – Says FOMC Must Be ‘Careful”; Doesn’t Need To Be ‘In Any Rush’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated his belief that the Fed can afford to wait for more evidence on inflation and labor market […]
Japan Week Ahead: PM Ishiba in Rough Waters amid High Costs After Ruling LDP’s Tokyo Assembly Poll Setback Ahead of Upper House Election Next Month
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic and political events for the coming week following no change in the Bank of Japan’s policy interest rate and a slower tapering pace for the bank’s government bond purchases in fiscal 2026. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a setback in Sunday’s Tokyo assembly […]
FOMC: MINIMAL CHANGE IN OUTLOOK; STILL SEE TWO RATE CUTS THIS YEAR BUT SOMEWHAT LESS SO
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday made only minuscule adjustments to its outlook, still anticipating two rate cuts this year with slightly less enthusiasm. The Fed;s “dot plot” had seven participants seeing no rate moves this year while eight saw two rate cuts. Another two saw one rate cut. The FOMC’s economic […]
ISRAEL-IRAN UPDATE: Pres Trump Gathers Advisers, Says Iran’s Supreme Leader Safe ‘For Now;’ Tells Tehran to Evacuate; Vance Says Action May Come
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – There are signs Tuesday afternoon that President Trump is weighing whether to finish off Iran’s capability to produce nuclear weapons by authorizing the use of penetrating “Bunker Buster” bombs dropped by American pilots. Top advisers have been seen entering the White House with a meeting reported under way in the White House’s […]
Japan Still Sees Gradual Economic Recovery Despite Trump Tariffs; Trade Conflicts Continue Clouding Outlook amid Front-Loading Purchases, Pullback in Demand
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government remains cautiously optimistic, sticking to its long-held conviction that the economy should be able to weather both external shocks on already sluggish growth and a cost-led surge in domestic inflation, repeating it is expected to stay on a “modest recovery” track. In its monthly report for June released […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Says Wait and See Effects of Tariffs on Inflation, Unemployment
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Wednesday said in several different ways the Fed has to wait and see whatever effects on inflation and unemployment come from whatever the ultimate tariff rates are imposed on China and other countries – and beyond that, he said very little more. A transcript of the post-FOMC […]
FOMC Stands Pat, Sees Risks Up for Both Unemployment, Inflation
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday, as expected, decided to maintain its policy rate and the only notable addition to the policy statement was that the Fed sees “the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen.” The policy statement follows: Although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent […]