Central Bank Watch
Bank of Japan Preview
March 16, 2010
Japan’s Democratic Party government wants the Bank of Japan to take more forceful action to resist deflation. Core and headline consumer prices each fell 1.3% in the year to January. Nominal GDP was 8.0% lower last quarter than two years earlier, and the GDP price deflator contracted 2.8% between 4Q08 and 4Q09. Bank loans are […] More
Central Bank Watch
Vital Market Signs When the FOMC Met Previously
March 16, 2010
Monetary policymakers at the Federal Reserve have a dual mandate to promote stable, low inflation and to maximize employment. As a result, the Fed pays more attention than most central banks to the unemployment rate. The FOMC is not expected to modify the belief of officials that present economic conditions including a soft labor market […] More
Deeper Analysis
Canadian Versus U.S. Competitiveness
March 16, 2010
Canada today reported a strong 1.4% increase in labor productivity last quarter, the best quarterly gain since the first quarter of 1998. Trouble is that lift still was not as big as the 1.8% non-annualized advance in U.S. productivity. Over the last four quarters, Canada’s 1.1% productivity rise was not even a fifth as much […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Waiting for Results of FOMC and Ecofin Meetings
March 16, 2010
The dollar is down 0.3% against the kiwi and sterling, 0.2% against the Canadian and Swiss currencies, and off 0.1% against the euro and Aussie dollar. It firmed 0.1% against the yen, EU Finance ministers (Ecofin) have reportedly agreed in principle on some technical details for pooling funds that will be given directly to Greece […] More
