Future of US Inflation Depends on Shelter Costs Flywheel
By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Last month’s strong rate of increase in consumer prices reported Wednesday was the same, and for some major categories less, than in the previous month, suggesting that mathematical base effects will force indicated inflation to decelerate later this year. Most significantly, shelter costs, that contribute a third of all […]
Update: Bank of Canada’s Macklem Sees Multiple Rate Hikes But Not on Autopilot
— Adds governor comments from news conference, background at bottom By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem on Wednesday stressed that the bank’s latest view that domestic interest rates are “on a rising path” does not mean that the bank’s policymakers would automatically keep raising rates once they embark on tightening. […]
Updated Preview: Japan Q4 GDP Rebound Seen on Easing Supply Bottlenecks, Covid Lull
–Updates with latest consumption data in paras 6-7, government measures in para 17, ESP Forecast in paras 18-19, Watchers’ survey at bottom — Consumption, Capex, Net Export Gains Behind Expected Solid Q4 Growth — Q1 GDP Face Downside Risks As Omicron-Led Covid Spike Hurts Sentiment By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for […]
Cleveland Fed’s Mester: Should Reduce Balance Sheet Soon, Faster Than Last Time
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Expressing heightened concern about inflation, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester called Wednesday for an early and relatively rapid firming of monetary policy. Mester, a voting member of the Fed’s policy making Federal Open Market Committee this year, said she favors starting to raise the federal funds in […]
Italy’s Center Right Coalition Is Falling to Pieces, Smaller Chance of Success in 2023 – Sources
By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italy’s center right coalition is crumbling to pieces following the presidential vote; it is now weaker and if it doesn’t quickly “recover” its chances of winning the 2023 elections are down to a minimum, according to party sources. The center right’s three allied parties – the League group of […]
Japan Dec Household Spending Dips Again; Q4 Rise Points To Solid GDP Growth
— Oct-Dec Household Spending +4.6% Q/Q; Q4 GDP Seen Up 1.4% Q/Q— Shrinking Demand for TVs, Food for Cooking Leads To Y/Y Drop in December— Spending on Dining Out, Traveling Up Y/Y But Ministry Keeps Close Watch By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s household spending suffered a slight drop from a year earlier in December […]
Italy Govt To Extend Loans Freeze, Boost State-Backed Guarantees – Sources
By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italy’s government is expected to extend a key pandemic loans payment moratorium which expired in December 2021, and boost state-backed guarantees for private investments, according to ruling coalition sources. The extension of both measures, set-up in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis to help struggling firms’ and families access […]
BOE Governor Andrew Bailey Takes Heavy Fire After Calling for Pay Restraint
— UK unions take aim after Thursday’s rate hike— MPC members Pill, Broadbent urge gradual tightening LONDON (MaceNews) – Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey suffered the brickbats of UK trade unions after suggesting that workers rein in demands for pay hikes even as inflation hovers at a three-decade high. “We do need to see […]
UK Chancellor Pledges Energy Support With UK Gov’t Under Further Pressure
— Two Top Downing Street Officials Resign; Northern Irish Executive Under Threat over Brexit LONDON (MaceNews) – UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced a package of measures to reduce the sting of rising energy bills, marking a rare public appearance while the government struggles to counter allegations that civil servants held multiple parties […]
US Service Sector Climate Slumps To 11-Month Low in January As Covid Bites
— Supply Bottlenecks, Labor Shortages Continue To Block Quick Recovery— Service Providers Struggling To Replenish Inventories By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The recent spike in Covid cases hurt the service sector in the US in January as the ISM services index fell 2.4 points to an 11-month low of 59.9 from 62.3 (revised from 62.0) […]