Bank of Japan
Equities Selling Off Further
January 18, 2022
Share prices in Asia fell 0.9% in India and South Korea, 0.8% in Taiwan and 0.3% in Japan. European stock markets currently show daily drops of 0.9% in Germany, 0.8% in France, 0.6% in Italy and 0.3% in Great Britain. In U.S. futures trading, the tech-intensive Nasdaq is 1.5% lower, and losses in the S&P […] More
Stock Markets Drop in Wake of Week’s Spotlight on Central Banks and World Inflation
December 17, 2021
Other factors weighing on investor appetite for riskier assets include Omicron, whose true threat to public health and economic growth remains uncertain, and congressional paralysis over President Biden’s Build Back Better Bill. Two more central banks hiked their interest rates. The Bank of Mexico‘s increase late Thursday of 50 basis points to 5.5% reflected a […] More
Bank of Japan Policy Unchanged
October 28, 2021
The Bank of Japan retained targets of -0.1% on its short-term policy interest rate and “around zero percent” for the 10-year JGB bond yield, according to today’s statement. In the 8-1 decision, Kataoka again favored a more expansionary stance. Today’s meeting coincided with publication of the quarterly Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices in which […] More
U.S. GDP, Monetary Policy Statements from ECB & Japan, and So Much More
October 28, 2021
Financial market activity overnight: The dollar and 10-year sovereign debt yields are little changed on this busy Thursday. Equities fell in Asia including losses of 1.2% in China, 1.0% in Japan, 1.2% in Indonesia, and 1.9% thus far in India. European share prices have risen a bit, however, and U.S. futures are also in the […] More
Bank of Japan: Same Ol, Same Ol
September 22, 2021
The Bank of Japan Board wrapped up its two-day policy review and decided by an 8-1 vote not to change its settings with Kataoka once again dissenting in favor of greater stimulus. The current policy framework anchored around a -0.1% short-term interest rate target, considerable quantitative stimulus, and a 10-year JGB yield objective of “around […] More
Marking Time Ahead of Powell Press Conference
September 22, 2021
The FOMC is expected to confirm that tapering of its bond purchase program will begin in the fourth quarter. The announcement by the Fed and release of updated economic forecasts will be made at 14:00 EDT (18:00 GMT), followed by Chairman Powell’s press conference at 14:30. Earlier today, the Bank of Japan Board wrapped up […] More
Bank of Mexico Officials Implement Second Straight 25-Basis Point Hike of Overnight Interbank Rate
August 12, 2021
The 25-basis point interest rate increases in June and now reverse cuts last February and September, and the new rate level of 4.5% becomes the highest in a year but well below the pre-pandemic level of 7.25%. A statement from the Bank of Mexico foresees a danger of inflation tracking above its baseline forecast because […] More
Bank of Japan Policy Review
July 16, 2021
The Bank of Japan’s policy settings will remain at -0.1% on the short-term interest rate, around zero percent on the 10-year JGB yield to be maintained by purchasing “a necessary amount of Japanese government bonds (JGBs) without setting an upper limit.” Policy Board member Kataoka dissented in favor of augmenting policy stimulus, as he has […] More
U.S. Retail Sales, New BOJ Forecasts, and Some Euroland Data
July 16, 2021
Among today’s awaited events, U.S. retail sales will be reported within the half hour. Meantime, the Bank of Japan Board left policy settings unchanged and released new macro-economic forecasts. BOJ Governor Kuroda said economic activity will remain low for the time being as a result of the need for enhanced Covid restrictions. Revised Euroland CPI […] More
Bank of Japan’s June Policy Decisions
June 18, 2021
The Bank of Japan left its short-term interest rate and 10-year JGB yield targets unchanged at -0.1% and “around zero percent,” respectively. Ceilings on purchases of ETFs, REITs, commercial paper and corporate bonds were not changed. The special pandemic relief lending facility was extended by a half year to the end of March 2022, and […] More
