ANALYSIS: Japan Faces Cost Inflation Amid Weak Yen, Slow Wage Growth
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Rising energy and commodities prices may help lift Japan’s near-zero inflation rate but a further rise in the costs for daily necessities would dampen already wobbly consumer spending and surging producer prices would hurt small businesses that cannot pass higher input costs on to customers amid uncertain growth prospects. Japan […]
Fed’s Beige Book Sees ‘Significantly Elevated Prices’
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s survey of economic conditions coast to coast Wednesday found “significantly elevated prices” and some regional Fed districts in which growth slowed, hampered by labor shortages, supply disruptions and, of course, the Delta variant. Auto sales declined and some districts “noted increased uncertainty and more cautious optimism than in previous […]
NY Fed’s Williams Opposes Raising FOMC Inflation Target From 2%
–Stresses Need To Anchor Inflation Expectations at 2% By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams defended the Fed’s 2% average inflation target Friday, while emphasizing the need to solidify expectations around that rate. Williams, vice chairman of the Fed’s policymaking Federal Open Market Committee, acknowledged that the real […]
Japan Aug Core CPI Flat Y/Y After Year-Long Drop; Energy Pickup Slows
— Total CPI Marks 11th Straight Y/Y Drop As Fresh Vegetable Prices Slump — Downward Pressure From Low Cost Mobile Phone Plans Intensifies By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Higher costs for energy and processed food continued easing the downward pressure on Japan’s core consumer prices, which was flat on year in August after a year-long […]
FOMC: Tapering ‘May Soon Be Warranted’ If Progress Continues
Half of FOMC Participants Now See Funds Rate Hike By End 2022 Powell Says FOMC Could Announce Bond Buying Cuts At Nov. 2-3 Meeting Powell Says Inflation Test More Than Met; Employment Goal ‘All But Met’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve took another incremental but very significant step toward making monetary […]
BOJ Keeps Easing Stance, Sees Resilient Japan Economic Pickup Amid Pandemic
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Japan said Wednesday it is maintaining its stimulative policy, as expected, to support a gradual recovery from the pandemic-caused slump and continue its eight-year-old campaign to guide low inflation toward stable 2%. The central bank largely left its view on Japan’s resilient economic pickup amid the pandemic […]
Japan Govt Sees Slower Economic Pickup Amid Disrupted Supply Chains, Pandemic Spike
— Consumption, Factory Output Downgraded While Exports on Track By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday provided a more cautious view of the recent pickup in the domestic economy, saying its pace is slowing in the face of global supply chain disruptions and a surge in coronavirus cases, according to its monthly report released […]
US Data Preview Commentary: CPI, Retail Sales, IndPro and the Next 20 Years
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – This week’s economic data includes the Consumer Price Index for August, with forecasters not anticipating an acceleration in the rate of change but not much, if any, deceleration. If the annual consumer inflation rate remains around the 5.4% in July and June, or a little less as forecasted, analysts are likely to […]
Cleveland Fed’s Mester Expects Inflation To Dip Next Year But Sees Upside Risks
Sees ‘Transitory’ As ‘Less Useful’ Term To Describe Inflation Upsurge Calls For Clearer FOMC Communication on Inflation, Employment Goals By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester warned Friday that inflation could persist at higher levels next year and questioned the use of the term “transitory” to describe the current […]
US Data Preview Commentary: PPI, JOLTS, Beige Book and Many, Many Questions
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – This week – for many, the last gasp of summer – has less guidance in the form of fresh U.S. economic data than any week this year, and the two major reports that are arriving raise more questions than answers. Wednesday’s JOLTS report says so much about job openings and the record […]