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☆ Dollar ascendant as Fed cut bets pared, jawboning props up yen
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. dollar hovered near a 4-1/2-month high against major peers on Tuesday as traders rushed to push back bets for the Federal Reserve's first interest rate cut this year. The U.S. dollar hovered near a 4-1/2-month high against major peers on Tuesday as traders rushed to push back bets for the Federal Reserve's first interest rate cut this year. The U.S. rate futures market now factors in 61.3% odds of a Fed rate cut in June, down from about 70.1% probability a week ago, according to the CME's FedWatch tool. The Japanese yen firmed slightly on Tuesday to 151.565 per dollar, after dipping to 151.77 the previous day. Japanese authorities intervened in 2022 when the yen slid toward a 32-year low of 152 to the dollar.

Persons: –, Richard Franulovich, Sterling, Shunichi Suzuki, Westpac's, skidding, cryptocurrency bitcoin Organizations: U.S, Federal, Treasury, Bank of Japan's Locations: U.S, Japan

☆ Dollar steady as PCE data sets up June rate cut bets; yen in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar was broadly steady on Monday as data showing easing U.S. prices bolstered bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in June, while the yen loitered near 152 per dollar keeping traders on edge on the threat of intervention. The dollar was broadly steady on Monday as data showing easing U.S. prices bolstered bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in June, while the yen loitered near 152 per dollar keeping traders on edge on the threat of intervention. The report also showed consumer spending rising by the most in just over a year last month, underscoring the economy's resilience. The yen touched a 34-year low against the dollar of 151.975 on Wednesday and was last at 151.315 per dollar, a shade stronger, on Monday. In other currencies, the Australian dollar rose 0.21% to $0.654, while the New Zealand dollar was 0.20% higher at $0.599.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Sterling, Shunichi Suzuki, bitcoin Organizations: Federal, Commerce Department's, Reuters, Traders, Citi, Japan, Bank of Japan, Ministry of Finance, Financial Services Agency, New Zealand Locations: Japan

☆ Japan's finance minister says 'speculative' moves in currency market impacting yen
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The yen has been on a downtrend despite the BOJ's decision on March 19 to end eight years of negative interest rates. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Monday there were some speculative moves in the currency market that did not reflect economic fundamentals, repeating his warning against excessive yen declines. "We will watch currency market developments with a strong sense of urgency, and will respond appropriately against excessive moves without ruling out any options," Suzuki told parliament. Suzuki said various factors are driving currency moves such as the Bank of Japan's decision to end negative interest rates, Japan's current account balance, price moves, geopolitical risks, as well as market players' sentiment and speculative trades. "As for the yen's recent declines, we believe there are some speculative moves that do not reflect fundamentals when taking into account domestic and overseas economic as well as price developments," he said.

Persons: Shunichi Suzuki, Suzuki Organizations: Japanese Finance, Bank of

☆ Japan flags 'speculative' yen moves, signals chance of intervention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Friday there were "speculative" moves behind recent yen declines, suggesting authorities remained on stand-by to intervene in the market to address any excessive falls in the currency. Suzuki also said authorities were watching the speed, rather than the levels, of the yen's moves. He repeated Tokyo's recent warnings that authorities would not rule out any steps to respond to disorderly currency moves. "Given how the yen's declines are continuing despite the interest rate gap narrowing, albeit modestly, suggest that there are speculative moves in the market," Suzuki told parliament. Excessive volatility is undesirable, and we are watching market moves from this perspective," he said.

Persons: Shunichi Suzuki, Suzuki Organizations: Japanese Finance Locations: Tokyo

☆ Japan's yen hits 34-year-low, heating talk of intervention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Japanese 1,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen banknotes arranged in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. The contradictions in Japan's efforts to protect the yen while slowing the pace of rising bond yields are becoming increasingly clear in currency and debt markets. The yen was last at 151.22 against the dollar at 10:19 a.m. London time after paring back some losses. The yen hit a 34-year-low on Wednesday, weakening as much as 151.97 against the U.S. dollar and fueling market questions over potential government intervention to prop the Japanese currency. "There is now a higher chance of Japanese FX intervention.

Persons: Kentaro Takahashi, Shunichi Suzuki, Masato Kanda, Kanda Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, U.S ., Bank of Japan, Financial Services Agency, Reuters, FX, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bank of America Global Research Locations: Kyoto, Japan, London

☆ Dollar dips, yen draws support from Tokyo's jawboning
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar was on the back foot on Tuesday, owing to profit taking and pressured in part by a slightly stronger yen as Japanese government officials continued with their jawboning to defend the currency. The dollar was on the back foot on Tuesday, owing to profit taking and pressured in part by a slightly stronger yen as Japanese government officials continued with their jawboning to defend the currency. "But it's even tougher for the (dollar) to weaken when other central banks were sounding more dovish than a dovish Fed." The dollar index was last 0.02% lower at 104.20, while the euro rose 0.03% to $1.0840. "While they say that the fundamentals don't justify the price, the market's telling them something else," said IG's Sycamore.

Persons: he's, Tony Sycamore, Thierry Wizman, Shunichi Suzuki Organizations: New Zealand, Federal, IG, FX, Macquarie, Fed, Japanese Finance, Bank of Japan's Locations: U.S, Japan, United States, Sycamore

☆ 'Very limited chance' that BOJ will hike rates again this year: Former official
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Very limited chance' that BOJ will hike rates again this year: Former officialShigeto Nagai, head of Japan economics at Oxford Economics and former Bank of Japan official, says that's unlikely to happen until after 2025's shunto wage negotiations.

Persons: Shigeto Nagai Organizations: Oxford Economics, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan

☆ Intervention threat curbs dollar's ascent towards new high on the yen
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar was on the front foot on Monday and kept the yen pinned near a multi-decade low, though the threat of currency intervention from Japanese authorities prevented the greenback from heading further north. "Japanese officials' verbal intervention is making 152 a very strong near-term resistance for dollar/yen," said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. "Markets are fully aware of a potential actual FX intervention from authorities, so I think that's keeping dollar/yen from moving substantially higher. "I think there is still a high risk that they will come in to prop up the yen if dollar/yen were to surge materially perhaps to 155. The yuan has been pressured by growing market expectations of further monetary easing to prop up the world's second-largest economy.

Persons: Carol Kong, That's, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Chris Weston Organizations: Bank of Japan's, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Swiss National Bank, Sterling, Financial Times, ECB, New Zealand Locations: Japan, United States

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were trading mixed on Monday, as investors awaited further indications the Federal Reserve might begin cutting interest rates. A top Japanese finance official expressed reservations about the recent surge in the U.S. dollar against the Japanese yen, fueling speculation about possible intervention in the market. Despite the BOJ’s decision to hike rates, cautious communication failed to stimulate demand for the Japanese yen,” said Luca Santos, currency analyst ACY Securities. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.21% from 4.27% late Thursday. The U.S. Federal Reserve has indicated it may deliver three cuts to interest rates this year, as long as inflation keeps cooling.

Persons: Seng, Korea's Kospi, ”, Luca Santos, Brent Organizations: TOKYO, Reserve, Nikkei, Shanghai, U.S ., U.S, of, of Japan, ACY Securities, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Treasury, U.S . Federal Locations: of Japan, Japan, U.S

☆ CNBC Daily Open: U.S. consumer sentiment stays stable amid inflation worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Overnight, U.S. stocks ended higher with the Federal Reserve's policy meeting in focus. [PRO] Bullish on PalantirBrian Stutland of Equity Armor Investments calls Palantir a "promising AI investment" and a "serious player" in the space. They are really starting to become very creative in the AI world," he said of the company, known for its government contract work in defense and intelligence.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Blackwell, Amin Nasser, Brian Stutland, Palantir Organizations: CNBC, Nikkei, CSI, Federal, Dow, Nasdaq, Bank of Japan, Equity, Investments Locations: Seng, Bank, San Jose, Aramco, Saudi Aramco

☆ The BOJ's decision to hike rates isn't a move toward a 'very hawkish' stance, strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe BOJ's decision to hike rates isn't a move toward a 'very hawkish' stance, strategist saysDavid Zervos, chief market strategist at Jefferies, discusses the Bank of Japan's historic decision to raise interest rates for the first time in 17 years.

Persons: David Zervos Organizations: Jefferies, Bank of

The BOJ will now look to utilize its short-term interest rate as its primary policy tool. It will employ an interest rate of 0.1% to current account balances held by financial institutions at the central bank from March 21, while encouraging the uncollateralized overnight call rate (another interest rate used as a policy lever by the bank) to remain at around 0 to 0.1% — effectively raising interest rates from -0.1% previously. It would resort to "nimble responses" in the form of increased Japan government bond purchases and fixed-rate purchases of JGBs, among other things, if there is a rapid rise in long-term interest rates. Japanese investors have looked elsewhere for better returns given years of artificially depressed interest rates in their home market. The Fed is due to announce its own interest rate decision on Wednesday.

Persons: Japan Alexander Spatari, Kazuo Ueda, Rob Carnell, BOJ, Ueda, Michael Brown, —, JGBs, Vishnu Varathan, Hayden Briscoe, Briscoe Organizations: Japan's, Japan Inc, Asia, ING, CNBC, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group, Bank of America, Barclays, U.S . Federal, UBS Asset Management Locations: Dotonbori, Japan, Japan's, U.S, Mizuho's, Asia

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.7% to 40,003.60, while the dollar rose to 150.35 Japanese yen from 149.14 yen. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.4% to 7,703.20 after Australia’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate steady at 4.35% for a third consecutive meeting. This week's highlight for Wall Street will likely be the Federal Reserve’s meeting on interest rates, which ends on Wednesday. The widespread expectation is for the central bank to hold its main interest rate steady at its highest level since 2001. But Fed officials will also give updated forecasts for where they see interest rates heading this year and in the long run.

Persons: Australia's, Tesla, Stephen Scherr, Wayne “ Gil ”, He’s, It's Organizations: Bank of Japan, Nikkei, Reserve Bank, Bank of England, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Big Tech, Hertz Global Holdings, Cruise, Delta Air Lines, Boeing, Workers, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Shanghai, Seoul, U.S, Oregon, San Francisco

☆ BOJ decision will not usher in new high rate era, academic says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBOJ decision will not usher in new high rate era, academic saysSeijiro Takeshita, dean of the Graduate School of Management at the University of Shizuoka, says weakness in the Japanese economy means that the Bank of Japan's historic interest rate will not usher in a new era of higher rates.

Persons: Seijiro Takeshita Organizations: Graduate School of Management, University of Shizuoka, Bank of

☆ Japan's central bank just raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Yuri Kageyama | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTOKYO (AP) — Japan's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate Tuesday for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding policy of negative rates meant to boost the economy. The short-term rate was raised to a range of 0 to 0.1% from minus 0.1% at a policy meeting that confirmed expectations of a shift away from ultra-lax monetary policy. The negative interest rate policy, combined with other measures to inject money into the economy and keep borrowing costs low, "have fulfilled their roles," the bank said in a statement. The Japanese central bank's policy is quite different from those of the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Analysts expect the Bank of Japan to continue to move slowly on further raising interest rates.

Persons: —, Kazuo Ueda, Haruhiko Kuroda Organizations: Service, Business, Bank of, Bank of Japan, US Federal Reserve, European Central Bank Locations: Japan, Bank of Japan, U.S, China

☆ Negative interest rates are a 'stupid idea'; BOJ should have raised rates 'months ago': Chris Wood
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNegative interest rates are a 'stupid idea'; BOJ should have raised rates 'months ago': Chris WoodChris Wood of Jefferies weighs in on the Bank of Japan's equity purchases, calling the move "at best unnecessary, at worst totally counter-productive". He also criticized BOJ's negative interest rate policy.

Persons: Chris Wood Chris Wood, Jefferies Organizations: Bank of

☆ Japan needs to show the world that its economic recovery is sustainable: Monex Group
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJapan needs to show the world that its economic recovery is sustainable: Monex GroupJesper Koll, expert director at financial services firm Monex Group, said that the BOJ raising interest rates would neither be a "bazooka" nor a "shock," but a policy normalization.

Persons: Jesper Koll Organizations: Japan, Monex

☆ Yen holds nerve as BOJ decision looms; dollar resurgent
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The yen was last little changed at 149.14 per dollar, while the Australian dollar fell 0.06% $0.6556. Against the euro, the yen steadied at 162.18, with the Japanese currency likewise little changed against the Aussie at 97.78. So BOJ's decisions generally are, as far as the yen is concerned, a matter of secondary importance," said Berry. "Holding policy rates steady and policy guidance broadly unchanged seems like a reasonably straightforward decision in the presence of high uncertainty," said Carl Ang, fixed income research analyst at MFS Investment Management. The New Zealand dollar was similarly pinned near Monday's two-week low and last bought $0.6079.

Persons: Gareth Berry, It's, they're, it's, Berry, Carl Ang, Sterling, —, Goldman Sachs, David Mericle Organizations: Bank of Japan, U.S, Reserve Bank of Australia, Aussie, Nikkei, Macquarie, Federal Reserve, MFS Investment Management, U.S ., New Zealand Locations: Bath, England, Asia, Japan, United States, Down, Australia, Monday's

☆ Japan's central bank could end negative interest rate policy after 17 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJapan's central bank could end negative interest rate policy after 17 yearsWill the Bank of Japan end negative interest rate policy and tweak rates higher at its March meeting? CNBC's Kaori Enjoji talks about the two conditions that BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said must be met before a rate hike — a rise in prices and wages.

Persons: CNBC's Kaori Enjoji, Kazuo Ueda Organizations: Bank of Japan

☆ Bank of Japan hikes rates for the first time in 17 years in a historic shift, abolishes yield curve control
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Clement Tan | In Clemtan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's central bank raised interest rates on Tuesday for the first time since 2007, ending the world's last negative rates regime on early signs of robust wage gains this year. The BOJ raised its short-term interest rates to around 0% to 0.1% from -0.1%, according to its statement at the end of its two-day March policy meeting. Japan's negative rates regime had been in place since 2016. The BOJ also announced the abolition of its radical yield curve control policy for 10-year Japanese government bonds, which the central bank has employed to target longer-term interest rates by buying and selling bonds as necessary. The Bank of Japan expects higher salaries to lead to a virtuous spiral with domestic demand fueling inflation.

Persons: BOJ, Kazuo Ueda Organizations: Japan Inc, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan, Japan's

☆ European markets set to open lower as investors look ahead to Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European markets are heading for a negative open Tuesday as global investors look ahead to the start of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting. Recent inflation reports could prompt the central bank to signal that interest rates will remain higher for longer than expected. Fed funds futures currently forecast a 99% likelihood that the Fed will leave benchmark interest rates unchanged this week, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. Meanwhile, it's been a dramatic night for Asia-Pacific markets after investors assessed the latest central bank monetary policy decisions from the Bank of Japan and the Reserve Bank of Australia. The BOJ officially ended its negative interest rate policy at its March meeting, hiking interest rates for the first time in 17 years and raising its benchmark interest rate from -0.1% to a range of 0% to 0.1%.

Persons: it's Organizations: U.S, U.S . Federal, Bank of Japan, Reserve Bank of Australia Locations: U.S ., Asia, Pacific

☆ Asia markets poised to fall ahead of central bank decisions from Japan and Australia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Kazuo Ueda, governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ). Asia-Pacific markets were set to fall ahead of central bank monetary policy decisions from the Bank of Japan and the Reserve Bank of Australia. All eyes will be on the BOJ amid expectations that the central bank could end its negative interest rate policy after 17 years. Economists polled by Reuters expect the central bank to raise its rates to 0% from the current -0.1%. Separately, the RBA is forecast to hold its benchmark interest rate at 4.35% for its third meeting in a row.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda Organizations: Bank of Japan, Reserve Bank of Australia, Reuters Locations: Asia, Pacific

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate Tuesday for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding policy of negative rates meant to boost the economy. The negative interest rate policy, combined with other measures to inject money into the economy and keep borrowing costs low, “have fulfilled their roles,” Bank of Japan Gov. But it had remained cautious about “normalizing” monetary policy, or ending negative borrowing rates, even after data showed inflation at about that rate in recent months. Ueda said there was “a positive cycle” of a gradual rise of wages and prices, while stressing that monetary policy will remain easy for some time. The Japanese central bank's policy is quite different from those of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

Persons: “, Kazuo Ueda, Ueda, Harumi Taguchi, Haruhiko Kuroda, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, ” Bank of Japan Gov, Bank of, Analysts, P Global Market Intelligence, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan, Bank of Japan, U.S, China

☆ Goldman Sachs now expects the Bank of Japan to hike rates Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Clement Tan | In Clemtan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Goldman Sachs now expects the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates for the first time in 17 years at its March meeting this week, bringing forward its previous forecast for an April decision. Ota said he expects the BOJ to abolish its yield curve control policy, which the central bank employs to target longer-term interest rates, by buying and selling bonds as necessary. Still, he expects the central bank will "not explicitly commit" to the size of its Japanese government bond purchases or the cessation of its ETF purchases. While the central bank has effectively loosened its yield curve control policy over longer term interest rates over the past 16 months, it has kept interest rates at -0.1% and still maintains an upper limit for 10-year Japanese government bond yield at 1% as a reference. While BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda meets with his other eight board members eight times a year, the central bank updates its economic outlook only four times: in January, April, July and October.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Tomohiro Ota, Ota, Kazuo Ueda Organizations: Bank of Japan Locations: Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

☆ BOJ move in March or April does not shift investment case in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhether BOJ moves in March or April doesn't shift the investment opportunity in JapanStefanie Holtze-Jen of Deutsche Bank Private Bank says that in the medium or longer term, it doesn't matter "too much" whether the Bank of Japan chooses to raise interest rates in March or April as the move is "well anticipated" and "not a very big move" in absolute figures.

Persons: Japan Stefanie Holtze, Jen Organizations: Deutsche Bank Private Bank, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan

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