Japan Weekahead: Fuel Subsidies, Softer Global Demand Seen Easing Producer Inflation Further While Real Wages Slow to Recover amid High Costs of Living
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events for the coming week. In the previous week, the Bank of Japan’s quarterly business survey for June showed confidence among major manufacturers unexpectedly posted a slight pickup, led by steel mills, oil refineries and paper/pulp makers thanks to lower materials costs, while producers […]
Japan Household Spending Tops Expectations in May With 4.7% Rise From Year Ago, with Boost From Auto Sales
By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending rose 4.7% in real terms in May from a year earlier, marking the first increase in two months and sharply beating market expectations. The reading reversed a 0.1% decline in April and outpaced the median forecast of a 1.1% gain. The stronger-than-expected recovery was paced by […]
Atlanta Fed’s Bostic Urges ‘Patience’ On Lowering Interest Rates
– Time of Great Uncertainty ‘No Time for Significant Shifts in Monetary Policy’ – Labor Market ‘Broadly Healthy’ But Deterioration Could Change Policy Prescription By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic called Thursday for “patience” in considering reductions in interest rates. Bostic, who has previously projected just a single […]
US ISM Manufacturing Stays in Contraction in June as Uncertainty Over Trade Conflicts Keeps Firms on Sidelines, Leading to Weak Demand, More Layoffs
–ISM Manufacturing Index at 49.0 Vs. 48.5 in May, Consensus at 48.8–ISM’s Spence: Production Up but Still Fragile, New Orders Falling–Spence: Orders Unlikely to Pick Up Until Trade, Geopolitical Risks Wane By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity was in contraction for the fourth straight month in June as the uncertainty over protectionist U.S. […]
Japan Weekahead: Feeling Drag from Trump Tariffs, High Costs of Living in Key Economic Data
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese economic events later this week. There is optimism in financial markets that the global trade war may be resolved through negotiations, but protectionist U.S. trade policy remains unpredictable and geopolitical risks have been heightened. Japanese automakers have lowered prices for their U.S. customers to cover […]
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 Holds Funds Rate Steady; Projects Two Rate Cuts in 2025; Fewer After 2025
– Powell: Fed ‘Well-positioned’ To Await Data on Tariff Inflation Impact By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Despite heavy pressure from President Trump to lower interest rates, the Federal Reserve left them unchanged Wednesday, as expected, and Fed officials gave Trump little encouragement for future rate cuts in the near term. Participants of the Fed’s […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Q&A – Expect Higher Inflation Ahead But Don’t Know How Much, How Long
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a transcript of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s post-FOMC news conference: Inflation has come down a great deal, but has been running somewhat above our 2% longer-run objective. In support of our goals, today the open market committee decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged. We believe that […]