Japanese Prime Minister Abe
Concerns Return to Market
November 17, 2017
Questions have resurfaced about the strength of China’s economy. Retail sales, industrial production, and business investment posted slower on-year gains in October, and the People’s Bank of China has injected heavy amounts of liquidity to the banking system via reverse repurchase agreements. The Mueller probe into Russian influence in the 2016 U.S. elections appears to […] More
Monday’s Spotlight on Politics and Central Banks
September 25, 2017
Saturday’s parliamentary election in New Zealand resulted in a hung parliament. The center-right National Party of Prime Minister English took a 46.0% plurality of the popular vote (58 of 120 seats) and will need to cobble together a coalition with smaller parties to form a government. Labour won 35.8% of the vote, good for 45 […] More
Somewhat Softer Dollar in Wake of G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Chiefs
March 20, 2017
The dollar slipped overnight by 0.4% against the New Zealand and Australian dollars, 0.2% relative to the euro and sterling, and 0.1% vis-a-vis the Swiss franc. The dollar is unchanged against the loonie and up 0.2% versus the peso and 0.1% against the yen and yuan. The Japanese and Mexican markets are shut for the […] More
Weaker-than-Expected Chinese Data and a Rise in Oil Prices
May 16, 2016
In April, Chinese M2 money grew 12.8% on year, down from 13.4% in March and a recent high of 14.1% in January. The 12-month increase in industrial production and retail sales slowed to 6.0% and 10.1% from 6.8% and 10.5% in March. Fixed asset investment in the first four months of 2016 was 10.5% greater […] More
More Good News Than Bad News
November 18, 2014
Japanese Prime Minister Abe has delayed imposition of the planned consumption tax by 18 months to April 2018 and dissolved parliament effective this Friday in preparation for a snap lower house election presumably on December 21. Abe’s LDP/Komeito coalition was elected in December 2012 to a four-year term. An election far ahead of schedule invites […] More
Stronger Tone in Equities
February 22, 2013
Stocks in Europe are up 1.4% in Italy, 1.3% in Spain, 1.7% in France, 1.0% in Germany, and 0.8% in Britain. Share prices rose 0.7% in Japan, 1.1% in New Zealand, 0.8% in Australia, 0.5% in Hong Kong, 0.4% in Indonesia and 0.2% in South Korea, but China’s market fell by 0.5%. The U.S. dollar […] More
Yen Slips Further as Japan Observes Coming of Age Day
January 14, 2013
Press reports over the weekend claiming that the Bank of Japan and government leaders have reached an accord on a change of inflation target sent the yen as low as 89.695 per dollar and 120.155 per euro. A joint statement will reportedly be released after the monthly meeting of the Bank of Japan Board, unveiling […] More
