Japan March Core CPI Capped at +3.1% Y/Y by Energy Subsidies After February’s 3.1%, January’s 41-Year High of 4.2%
–Total CPI +3.2% Y/Y Vs. +3.3% in February, 41-Year High of +4.3% in January –Core-Core CPI (Ex-Fresh Food, Energy) Hits 42-Year High of +3.8% Y/Y, Largest Gain Since +3.9% in December 1981–Fiscal 2022 Core CPI +3.0% Vs. +0.1% in Fiscal 2021, as Projected by BOJ Board By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer inflation in Japan […]
Fed’s Beige Bk Sees Tighter Credit, Little Change Otherwise
–Nine Districts Saw No Change or Slight Changges; Three Indicated ‘Modest Growth’ WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The “Beige Book” survey of economic activity coast-to-coast Wednesday described a generally static picture with only three Districts suggesting modest growth while credit availability deteriorated, sometimes “sharply.” The survey, assembled by the Richmond Fed, saw consumer spending generally “flat to […]
Fed’s Waller: More Rate Hikes Needed but Bank Credit Tightening Will Help Curb Inflation
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Friday that the Fed still needs to raise short-term interest rates further and leave them high for longer than many anticipate, but said tightening bank credit will likely lessen how much monetary policy will need to be tightened. Although headline inflation numbers have […]
FOMC Minutes Show Participants Chose Cautious Quarter-Point Hike Because of Then Fresh Banking Turmoil
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes, for the March 21-22 policy session, suggested that the absence of more banking turmoil at the next meeting could increase the odds of a half-point rate hike. The minutes released Wednesday “participants agreed that inflation was unacceptably high” but some of them, who favored […]
Bank of Canada Pauses for 2nd Time in a Row to Watch Effects of Past Tightening, Prepared to Hike Again If Needed
–BOC Governor Macklem: Governing Council Discussed Likelihood of Policy Rate Staying Restrictive for Longer –Macklem: Rate Cut Later This Year Expected in Markets ‘Doesn’t Look Like Most Likely Scenario’ –BOC: Canada’s Labor Market Remains Tight, Demand Still Exceeding Supply –BOC: Economy to Move into Excess Supply in 2nd Half of 2023 –BOC: CPI Inflation to […]
White House and Other Schedules for Wednesday, April 12
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following are Wednesday’s schedules for the White House, Treasury, USTR, the State Department and Capitol Hill as well as U.S. economic data and Federal Reserve events: COMPREHENSIVE TRIP GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FORWEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2023 – SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2023 Wednesday, April 12, 2023 In the morning, the President will meet with […]
Japan March Producer Inflation Eases Further to 7.2% from February’s 8.3% on Energy Subsidies, Slumping Lumber Prices
–December’s Revised 10.6% Y/Y Rise Remains Highest in 42 Years By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Producer inflation in Japan eased for the third straight month in March as the government’s expanded utilities subsidies continued to cap energy costs and slowing global demand has cooled off commodities markets, data released Wednesday by the Bank of Japan […]
Preview: Bank of Canada Seen Keeping Rates Steady in Conditional Pause Amid Tight Labor Market, Slowing Global Demand
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada is expected to maintain its policy interest rate – the target for overnight lending rates – at 4.50 percent on Wednesday in what its policymakers call a “conditional” pause during the current tightening cycle that began in March last year. The labor market remains tight and […]
Chi Fed’s Goolsbee: Less Need For Rate Hikes if Bank Credit Conditions Tighten
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – New Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee cautioned Tuesday against raising interest rates “too aggressively,” because probable credit tightening in wake of recent bank failures is likely to make the Fed’s anti-inflation job “easier” and leave it with fewer rate hikes to have to implement.. Goolsbee, a voting […]
BOJ’s New Governor Ueda Sees No Need to Change Yield Curve Control Policy Framework or Accord with Government
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said it is “appropriate” to continue seeking stable and sustainable 2% inflation under the bank’s yield curve control policy framework, indicating that there will be no major change to the current monetary easing stance at the April 27-28 meeting. He told an inaugural news […]