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BOJ

Japan's base salaries grew at a 32-year-high pace in October, offering statistical support for the prospects of a central bank rate hike this month.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 6, 2024
Record base pay gains keep door open for BOJ hike
Base pay for full-time workers increased by 2.8% in October from a year ago, the biggest gain for comparable data back to 1994.
The headquarters of the Bank of Japan in Tokyo
BUSINESS
Dec 5, 2024
BOJ rate hike bets retreat as traders count down to key meeting
The predictions hardly budged even after one of the policy board’s most dovish members said he isn’t opposed to higher rates.
Bank of Japan board member Toyoaki Nakamura's cautious stance on raising interest rates indicates that the idea of a December hike may not have unanimous support.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 5, 2024
BOJ’s leading dove calls for careful approach to tweaking easing
The board member's remarks indicate that the idea of hiking interest rates this month may not have unanimous support.
The Bank of Japan regularly sells government bonds with repurchase agreements to boost liquidity.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 4, 2024
BOJ sells 10-year cash bonds to ease shortage tied to futures
The BOJ owned ¥8.03 trillion of the bonds due in March 2032 as of Nov. 29, down from ¥8.23 trillion on Nov. 20.
"No matter who takes the helm, Japan’s fiscal discipline will worsen in a situation like this," said Mana Nakazora, a credit analyst on an economic panel advising Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 3, 2024
Japan needs a wake-up call on debt, government advisor warns
The advisor criticized the government’s decision to resume subsidies for utilities as part of the stimulus package.
The yen carry trade is expected to ramp up next year, driven by wide gaps in interest rates, higher government borrowing in the U.S. and low volatility in currency markets, analysts say.
BUSINESS / Markets
Dec 3, 2024
Yen carry trade that rattled markets shows signs of a comeback
Japanese retail investors as well as leveraged funds and asset managers outside the country are estimated to have boosted bearish wagers on the yen in November.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda reiterated in an interview published Saturday that authorities will raise rates if the economy performs in line with projections.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 3, 2024
BOJ weighs case for first triple hike since Japan’s bubble burst
The last time the BOJ conducted three hikes in a single year was in 1989, with the third increase that year coming on Christmas Day.
Japanese companies' capital expenditure on goods excluding software rose 9.5% year on year in the three months through September.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 2, 2024
Japanese firms boost capex in sign of confidence holding up
Expectations are also growing for the Bank of Japan to raise rates sooner rather than later.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda attends a news conference after a policy meeting in Tokyo on Oct. 31.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 30, 2024
BOJ's Ueda says rate hike timing 'approaching,' Nikkei reports
The remarks reinforce growing market expectations that the BOJ will raise its short-term policy rate from the current 0.25% as soon as its next meeting on Dec. 18-19.
The Bank of Japan's headquarters in Tokyo
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 29, 2024
Stimulus staved off years of deflation, BOJ study says
The study found that monetary stimulus beginning in 2013 boosted the level of gross domestic product by as much as 1.8 percentage point on average through this year.
The yen briefly breached the key ¥150 mark against the dollar on Friday, as traders' expectations for a rate hike by the Bank of Japan in December grow.
BUSINESS / Markets
Nov 29, 2024
Yen breaches key ¥150 level as Tokyo inflation fuels BOJ bets
The swaps market is now factoring in a 63% chance of a BOJ rate hike in December, twice the odds at the start of the month.
Commercial buildings in the Shibuya area of Tokyo
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 29, 2024
Consumer inflation speeds up amid BOJ rate hike speculation
Overall inflation sped up to 2.6%, as food prices also pushed up the gauge, also outpacing economist expectations.
Motohisa Furukawa, Democratic Party for the People tax chief, says the Bank of Japan is unlikely to move so quickly in raising rates that the move would have a detrimental impact on public borrowing costs.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
BOJ rate hike unlikely to derail budget planning, DPP tax chief says
Democratic Party for the People tax chief Motohisa Furukawa says it is "unthinkable” that the Bank of Japan will hike rates rapidly.
BOJ Gov. Kazuo Ueda says that growing latent losses "would not hinder (the central bank's) ability to manage policy."
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2024
Bank of Japan's latent losses on JGBs hits record ¥13.66 trillion
JGB prices fell after the central bank ended its negative interest rate policy in March and raised interest rates in July.
The services producer price index rose 2.9% in October from a year earlier, the Bank of Japan data shows, accelerating from a 2.8% gain in September.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 26, 2024
Japan's steady corporate service inflation bolsters BOJ rate-hike view
The Bank of Japan is watching service-sector inflation for clues on whether demand-driven price gains are broadening enough to justify further raising interest rates.
Workers install a battery for a new electric vehicle model at Mitsubishi Motor's factory in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.
BUSINESS
Nov 23, 2024
Trump tariffs may target Japanese cars, economist says
The Moody's Analytics economist warned that this poses a huge risk to the Japanese economy.
Japan's core inflation held above the Bank of Japan's 2% target in October, keeping pressure on the central bank to raise its still-low interest rates.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 22, 2024
Inflation held above BOJ target in October, supporting winter rate hike
Food companies raised the prices of 2,911 items, with processed food prices increasing by 3.8% while rice prices rose 60%.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda gives a speech in Nagoya on Monday. Ueda's signaling remains vague and noncommittal, further muddying the outlook for December.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 20, 2024
Dithering in December could cost Bank of Japan yen stability
For some analysts, the central bank is all but certain to raise rates next month, though others think it might be too early.
Prices will increase for about 60% of Sukiya menu items starting Nov. 22 due to a recent rise in the price of Japanese rice, the fast-food restaurant operator Zensho Holdings said in a statement Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 19, 2024
Sukiya operator Zensho sees shares rise ahead of beef-bowl meal price hike
Prices will increase for about 60% of Sukiya menu items starting Nov. 22 due to a recent rise in the price of Japanese rice, the company said Monday.
The Bank of Japan's policy review next month will be its first attempt to take a deeper, analytical look at the drawbacks of prolonged monetary easing.
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
Nov 19, 2024
BOJ to bid farewell to stimulus era and justify rate hikes in policy review
The review will be the central bank's first attempt to take a deeper, analytical look at the drawbacks of prolonged monetary easing.

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