The Bank of Japan indicated it remains on track to consider more interest rate hikes by upgrading its assessments for two regional economies, while also offering little evidence of any need for immediate action.
The BOJ raised its economic assessments for the Hokuriku and Tokai regions in its quarterly regional report Monday. In a separate release summarizing the views of branch managers who met to discuss the report, the bank said many reported widening perceptions among business leaders that wages need to keep rising next year.
The BOJ is widely expected to hold its policy settings steady when it next sets policy on Oct. 31, and some economists pushed back their forecasts for a year-end hike after new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba noted last week — in his first day on the job — that conditions aren’t ripe for such action.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.