Japan Data Response Industrial Production, Household Spending, Unemployment & Consumer Prices (Apr.) With economic activity sluggish and price pressures subdued despite a tighter labour market, we remain convinced that the Bank of Japan will have to step up the pace of easing before too long. 29th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Retail Sales (Apr.) The rebound in retail sales in April did not reverse the plunge in March, and we think that consumer spending will remain sluggish in coming months. 28th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Small Business Confidence (May) Despite a rebound in May, small business confidence still suggests that the economic recovery lacks vigour. 27th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response External trade (Apr.) The trade balance returned to deficit in April and will likely remain in the red in coming months. 25th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (May) While the rebound in the manufacturing PMI in May suggests that the sector is not doing as badly as we had feared, there is a long way to go to recoup the 4% fall in activity since January. 21st May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response GDP (Q1 Preliminary The acceleration in GDP growth last quarter was mostly due to a jump in inventories, and a range of indicators point to a slowdown in the second quarter. 20th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Machinery Orders (Mar.) Machinery orders rose by more than 6% q/q last quarter, so business investment should have finally started to recover again. 18th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Consumer Confidence (Apr.) Following four straight increases, the small drop in consumer confidence in April is no disaster. What’s more, the Bank of Japan will have been pleased by the fact that inflation expectations are... 15th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Economy Watchers Survey (Apr.) The increase in the headline index of today’s Economy Watchers Survey (EWS) masks a deterioration in some of the subindices, and we still think that economic activity will remain sluggish in the... 13th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Current Account (Mar.) The current account surplus jumped to a multi-year high in March, and we think that it will be the highest this year since 2010. 13th May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Unemployment, Household Spending, Consumer Prices & Labour Cash Earnings (Mar.) While the labour market continues to tighten, inflation remains near zero and wages are barely rising. The BoJ will have to step up the pace of easing before long. 1st May 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Industrial Production (Mar.) The decline in industrial production in March was much less pronounced than expected and suggests that GDP growth remained solid last quarter. As such, it would provide an excuse for the Bank of Japan... 30th April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Small Business Confidence (Apr.) Small business confidence weakened in April and remains consistent with sluggish activity in the manufacturing sector. 28th April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Retail Sales (Mar.) The renewed plunge in retail sales values in March suggests that consumer spending may have fallen last quarter. 28th April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Flash Manufacturing PMI (Apr.) The third straight fall in the manufacturing PMI confirms that the plunge in energy prices has failed to reinvigorate Japan's economy. 23rd April 2015 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response External trade (Mar.) Even though the trade balance returned into the black for the first time since 2011 last month, net trade likely turned into a drag on GDP growth last quarter. 22nd April 2015 · 1 min read
