BOJ May Consider Reducing Bond Purchases as Rate Hike Approaches
BOJ May Consider Reducing Bond Purchases as Rate Hike Approaches The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is anticipated to discuss reducing its bond purchases at a policy meeting concluding on Friday, with expectations also set for preparations to increase interest rates as early as next month. All but one economist in a Bloomberg survey expect the […]
Australian PM’s Support Falls After Weak GDP Growth
Australian PM’s Support Falls After Weak GDP Growth Support for Australia’s center-left Labor government has slumped following a week of unfavorable economic news and political tensions over immigration, according to a new poll. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s party has hit its lowest point since winning power two years ago. A Newspoll survey published by The […]
ANZ Economists Predict Earlier OCR Cut Amid ‘Meaningful Progress’ in Inflation Battle
ANZ Economists Predict Earlier OCR Cut Amid ‘Meaningful Progress’ in Inflation Battle Economists at ANZ New Zealand, the country’s largest bank, have revised their forecast for the first Reserve Bank Official Cash Rate (OCR) cut, moving it up to February 2025 from the previously anticipated May 2025. Currently, the OCR stands at 5.50%, unchanged since […]
Taiwan Central Bank Chief Links Rate Cut to Inflation Control
Taiwan Central Bank Chief Links Rate Cut to Inflation Control On Thursday, Taiwan’s central bank governor highlighted that inflation remains the crucial determinant in the potential decision to adjust interest rates at the upcoming meeting next week. During a session with legislators in parliament, Governor Yang Chin-long noted that Taiwan’s current interest rates are at […]
RBA Governor Bullock Predicts ‘Quite Low’ March GDP Numbers
RBA Governor Bullock Predicts ‘Quite Low’ March GDP Numbers Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock has indicated that a rebound in inflation or persistently high price pressures could necessitate further interest rate hikes. Speaking at a senate estimates hearing, Bullock emphasized the RBA’s readiness to act if inflation remains uncomfortably high, stating that […]
China’s Yuan Falls Despite Gains Across Asian Markets
China’s Yuan Falls Despite Gains Across Asian Markets On Tuesday, the Chinese yuan experienced a decline against the dollar, diverging from the general upward trend seen in other Asian currencies. This occurred despite a broader weakening of the greenback, influenced by factors such as foreign dividend payments and ongoing economic concerns. Before the markets opened, […]
Japan’s Q1 Capex Increase Hints at Positive GDP Revision
Japan’s Q1 Capex Increase Hints at Positive GDP Revision In the January-March period, Japanese companies increased their investment in plant and equipment, driven by a rise in demand for automobiles and efforts to streamline operations. This uptick in capital expenditure suggests that the economic downturn observed in the first quarter might be less severe than […]
Tokyo Inflation Rises, Aligning BOJ with Potential Rate Hike
Tokyo Inflation Rises, Aligning BOJ with Potential Rate Hike Inflation in Tokyo saw a notable uptick in May, with consumer prices excluding fresh food climbing by 1.9%, according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This increase, which aligns with economists’ predictions, was primarily fueled by higher utility costs due to renewable energy surcharges. […]
Yen Surpasses Threshold Suspected to Trigger Intervention
Yen Surpasses Threshold Suspected to Trigger Intervention The yen recently fell to a four-week low, touching 157.71 before slightly recovering to 157.39 per dollar, demonstrating the ongoing challenges Japan faces in its attempts to stabilize its currency through market interventions. This decline brings the yen close to the 157.52 mark, a critical level that previously […]
Yuan Falls to Lowest Level Since November as China Permits Declines
Yuan Falls to Lowest Level Since November as China Permits Declines China’s onshore yuan dropped to its weakest level since November, signaling that policymakers are gradually allowing the currency to decline against a resilient US dollar. The yuan fell to as low as 7.2487 per dollar as the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) gradually reduced […]
Japan Wary of Weak Yen’s Downsides, Finance Minister Notes
Japan Wary of Weak Yen’s Downsides, Finance Minister Notes Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki expressed concerns on Tuesday about the current depreciation of the yen, emphasizing the negative effects more than the positives. Suzuki highlighted the challenges posed by a weak yen, including increased costs for companies and consumers due to higher import prices, during […]
Lane Asserts ECB Must Maintain Restrictive Stance Throughout the Year
Lane Asserts ECB Must Maintain Restrictive Stance Throughout the Year The European Central Bank (ECB) is poised to initiate interest rate cuts as early as next month, yet Chief Economist Philip Lane emphasizes the necessity to maintain a restrictive monetary policy throughout 2024. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Lane highlighted that although […]
UK Inflation Hits 3-Year Low; PM Sunak Prioritizes It for July 4 Election
UK Inflation Hits 3-Year Low; PM Sunak Prioritizes It for July 4 Election In April, the UK experienced a significant decrease in inflation, reaching its lowest level in nearly three years, primarily due to substantial reductions in domestic bills, according to official statistics released Wednesday. This decrease prompted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to schedule a […]
Goldman Predicts Stronger Dollar in Inflation Battle
Goldman Predicts Stronger Dollar in Inflation Battle The U.S. dollar is expected to maintain its strength if the Federal Reserve decides to hold interest rates steady while other countries move towards lowering their borrowing costs, according to analysts from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The strategists, led by Kamakshya Trivedi and Joseph Briggs, suggest that such […]
UK Government Considers ‘Bootcamp’ Programs to Address Employment Shortages
UK Government Considers ‘Bootcamp’ Programs to Address Employment Shortages The UK government has introduced a new initiative to direct unemployed Britons towards “skills bootcamps,” aiming to fill the labor market gaps left by a decrease in overseas workers. These intensive training programs, which are already in place for various sectors, will now particularly target areas […]
Chinese Banks Keep Lending Rate Steady After PBOC Decision
Chinese Banks Keep Lending Rate Steady After PBOC Decision Chinese banks have left their benchmark lending rates unchanged after the People’s Bank of China’s (PBOC) decision last week to maintain a key rate on loans it offers to lenders. On Monday, the one-year loan prime rate was held steady at 3.45%, in line with economist […]
Ex-Chief Economist Predicts BOJ Rate Hike as Early as June
Ex-Chief Economist Predicts BOJ Rate Hike as Early as June The Bank of Japan (BOJ) might implement up to three additional benchmark interest rate hikes this year, with the first potential increase occurring as early as June. This move would be a response to what a former BOJ chief economist describes as the excessive ease […]
Japan’s Economy Falters, Impacting BOJ Rate Hike Plans
Japan’s Economy Falters, Impacting BOJ Rate Hike Plans Japan’s economy contracted more sharply than anticipated in the first quarter, exacerbated by the ongoing weakness of the yen, which has put significant pressure on consumers. This presents a fresh challenge for the Bank of Japan (BOJ) as it attempts to move interest rates further from near-zero […]