JAPAN GOVT SEES PANDEMIC-CAUSED SOFT SPOTS IN SPENDING, DOWNGRADES VIEW ON EUROPE
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Tuesday warned that consumer spending, which accounts for over half of domestic output, is showing soft spots despite its overall improvement from the pandemic-caused slump, according to its monthly report released by the Cabinet Office. While noting increasing export volumes, particularly of automobiles and semiconductor-producing equipment, the government […]
JAPAN NOV CPI DROP DEEPER ON WEAKER ENERGY, GOVT-FINANCED HOTEL DISCOUNTS EASE AMID COVID SPIKE
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese consumer prices posted a sharper drop in November as energy costs continued falling but a spike in coronavirus cases later in the month appeared to have slowed the use of hefty government-financed discounts on hotel and transport charges, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication released Friday […]
JAPAN NOV EXPORTS UNEXPECTEDLY SLUMP, WEAK ENERGY PRICES KEEP TRADE IN SURPLUS
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports took one step back from the recent pickup trend and posted an unexpected fall in November, remaining below year-earlier levels for two years as the global economy faces pandemic-caused uncertainty, data released Wednesday by the Ministry of Finance showed. The outlook for domestic growth and a return to […]
JAPAN OCT HOUSEHOLD SPENDING POSTS 1ST Y/Y RISE IN 13 MONTHS IN REACTION TO TAX HIKE SLUMP
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending in October marked the first year-on-year increase in 13 months as the base-year effects of the October 2019 sales tax hike faded, while a third wave of coronavirus infections around the world is likely to continue restricting some expenditures, data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Internal […]
JAPAN MOF SURVEY: Q3 CAPEX REMAINS WEAK; REVISION TO GDP CAPEX DATA SEEN LIMITED
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Business investment in equipment by many Japanese companies remained depressed in the July-September quarter, compared to year-earlier levels, but the pace of decline decelerated from the previous three-month period, a quarterly survey by the Ministry of Finance released Tuesday showed. This may prompt the Cabinet Office to make only a […]
JAPAN OCT FACTORY OUTPUT POSTS 5TH STRAIGHT M/M RISE, REMAINS ON PICKUP TREND
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s industrial production continued chugging along in October for the fifth consecutive monthly rise, recovering much of the pandemic-triggered slump as solid demand for general machinery and automobiles more than offset lower output of electronic parts and devices, preliminary data released Monday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry […]
ANALYSIS: JAPAN FACES SLOW RIDE BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVEL OUTPUT
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – With luck, Japan’s economy has recovered about half of lost output amid the global pandemic and its momentum is lingering into the current quarter, but it is likely to lose steam in the New Year and could contract again. For an economy heavily dependent on China as a consumption and […]
JAPAN Q3 GDP RECOVERS HALF OF PANDEMIC-CAUSED RECORD PLUNGE IN Q2
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy for the July-September quarter surged 5.0% on quarter, or an annualized 21.4%, led by a rebound in net exports and consumer spending, but it only recovered just over a half of a record plunge in April-June amid the pandemic-triggered slowdown, Cabinet Office data released Monday showed. The first […]
STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- DIVERSITY OF OPINION OR MUTUAL HATRED?
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Quote of the week: “You know what’s really uncomfortable and annoying? When you die.” That’s New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, of course. The quote has been played through the day cablewise so it’s […]
JAPAN Q3 GDP FORECAST TO SHOW SOME RECOVERY FROM Q2 PLUNGE
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for the July-September quarter is forecast by economists to show a 4.4% rise on quarter, or an annualized 19.0%, led by a rebound in net exports and consumer spending, recovering about half of the 7.9% plunge (28.1% annualized) in April-June caused by the pandemic. The median […]