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☆ Asia markets climb as China factory activity assessed; Japan business optimism falls slightly
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Asia-Pacific markets climbed Monday as investors assessed China's business activity for February and await economic data out of Japan. China's National Bureau of Statistics data showed that manufacturing activity expanded in March, with the purchasing managers index registering a reading of 50.8, compared to Feburary's reading of 49.1. Separately, Japan's first-quarter Tankan survey showed that business optimism among large manufacturers fell, with the gauge at +11 compared with +12 in the last survey. However, optimism among non-manufacturers rose, with the Tankan gauge at +34 compared with +30 in the fourth quarter and beating Reuters expectations of +33. The survey gauges business sentiment, which the Bank of Japan monitors when formulating monetary policy.

Persons: Japan's Organizations: China's National Bureau, Reuters, Bank of Japan Locations: Asia, Pacific, 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

☆ 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 Is a Preview of China's Ugly Recession, Stock Market Crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But Japan's economy — the long-unconscious patient — recently started to wiggle its toe. The country's stock market is ripping; the Nikkei recently exceeded the all-time highs it set 34 years ago. Now, Koo says, Chinese academics and policymakers are flocking to Japan to glean some kind of wisdom from the country's experience. Advertisement"This has made Japan attractive for foreign investors, and the stock market has done well," Koo said. Even without a currency war with Beijing, the world is building defenses against another wave of Chinese goods.

Persons: —, Goldman Sachs, there's, Nomura, Richard Koo, Koo, Shinzo Abe, Japan's, What's, it's, we're, haven't, Xi Jinping, doesn't, Xi, we've, Brasília Organizations: Nikkei, Goldman, Bank of Japan, Corporations, International Monetary Fund, Japan, Peterson Institute, European Union, China Locations: East Asia, China, Japan, Real, Tokyo, Beijing, Brussels, Brasília, American, Washington, Brazil, Turkey

“There are,’’ the Bank of England warns, “more consequences from falling prices than meets the eye.’’What could be so bad about lower prices? It is only now emerging from decades of falling prices that began with the collapse of its property and financial markets in the early 1990s. Mainly because falling prices tend to discourage consumers from spending. Why buy now, after all, if you can purchase what you want — cars, furniture, appliances, vacations — at a lower price later? If consumers were to pull back, en masse, to await lower prices, businesses would face intense pressure to cut prices even more to try to jump-start sales.

Persons: they're, that's, what's, Joe Biden's, ’ ’ Lisa Cook, “, United States hasn’t, Tom Krisher Organizations: WASHINGTON, Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, Bank of England, United, España, Unemployed, Bank of Japan, Fed, Bank for International, AP Locations: America, United States, Japan, Spanish, Detroit

☆ Standard Chartered says Japan 'very, very close' to yen intervention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japan is "very, very close" to intervening in the yen, Steven Englander, head of Global G10 FX research and North America macro strategy at Standard Chartered Bank, told CNBC as the currency languishes at multi-decade lows. "I think we're actually very, very close to them [Japanese authorities] jumping in ... they've already discussed the political consequences and nobody's sitting there asking for a weaker yen," Englander told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Thursday. The Japanese yen traded around 151.47 against the U.S. dollar on Thursday after falling to its weakest level in 34 years at 151.97 in the previous session. Standard Chartered's Englander said potential intervention in the yen would be aimed at buying time for Japanese authorities until the U.S. Federal Reserve starts cutting interest rates or until the Bank of Japan hikes its rates a little more. He further noted that when Japanese authorities last intervened in the yen in 2022, it "worked out pretty well," even though investors were initially skeptical of the effectiveness of such currency intervention.

Persons: Steven Englander, they've, nobody's, Englander, CNBC's, Shunichi Suzuki, Masato Kanda, Yoshimasa Hayashi Organizations: Global, Standard Chartered Bank, CNBC, U.S, Reuters, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan, North America, .

☆ Japanese policymakers could intervene fairly soon in the economy, FX strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | 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 EmailJapanese policymakers could intervene fairly soon in the economy, FX strategist saysValentin Marinov, managing director and global head of G10 FX and U.K. research at Credit Agricole, discusses the global foreign exchange market and the Bank of Japan's interest rates.

Persons: Valentin Marinov Organizations: Credit Agricole, Bank of

☆ Dollar firm after Fed comments; yen under close watch
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"There is no rush to cut the policy rate" right now, Waller said in a speech prepared for delivery before an Economic Club of New York gathering. The dollar index , a measure of the greenback against major peer currencies, ticked up in the wake of Waller's comments and last held mostly unchanged at 104.41. Traders await key U.S. core inflation figures due on Friday, following a bigger-than-expected jump in U.S. durable goods orders on Tuesday that has already boosted the dollar against the yen. The greenback reached 151.975 yen on Wednesday, its strongest against the yen since mid-1990. Japan intervened in the currency market three times in 2022, selling the dollar to buy yen, first in September and again in October as the yen slid towards a 32-year low of 152 to the dollar.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, It's, Kyle Rodda, Rodda, Masato Kanda, Shunichi Suzuki, That's, Ray Attrill, Sterling, bitcoin Organizations: U.S, Federal Reserve, Federal, Economic, of New, Traders, Finance, National Australia Bank, Bank of Japan's Locations: of New York, Japan

☆ 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

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

☆ 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

☆ It's been four years since the market's Covid low with the S&P 500 returning 25% annualized since
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Michael Santoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The four-year total return for the S & P 500 since March 23, 2020, is just about 150%, or 25.7% annualized. .SPX mountain 2020-03-23 S & P 500 since the Covid low This is, of course, an idealized starting point from which to measure performance. While the S & P 500 bottomed at around a three-year low under 2,200, the index spent only a few weeks under 2,500. More qualitatively, it's a bull market, and in a bull market the overshoots occur to the upside, so a rally being "ahead of itself" is not fatal. And the S & P 500 is only 9% higher than it was more than two years ago, hardly reaching escape velocity from planet Sanity.

Persons: –, Warren, Ned Davis, Tim Hayes, bullishness, Rocky White Organizations: HSBC, 3Fourteen, Bank of Japan, Fed, Ned Davis Research, Schaeffer's Investment Research, Intelligence, Bank of America

☆ 'Mr Yen' says Japan could intervene if yen falls to 155
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( Clement Tan | In Clemtan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Japanese authorities may intervene if the yen sinks to 155 to 160 against the dollar, according to a former top foreign exchange official Eisuke Sakakibara. The Bank of Japan's decision on Tuesday to exit the world's last remaining negative rates regime sparked a sell-off in the Japanese currency as Governor Kazuo Ueda reiterated monetary conditions will stay loose for the time being — given the fragile recovery in the Japanese economy. He also didn't commit to a terminal rate level. On Wednesday, ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision later in the day, the yen touched its weakest in four months against the dollar, falling to around 151 and tumbling against the euro to its lowest since 2008.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda Organizations: U.S Locations: U.S . Federal

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ We prefer Japan and India as 'beneficiaries of the money moving away from China': WisdomTree
▼ + 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 EmailWe prefer Japan and India as 'beneficiaries of the money moving away from China': WisdomTreeJeremy Schwartz, global chief investment officer at WisdomTree, discusses the interest rate outlook for the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan, as well as Chinese, Japanese and Indian markets.

Persons: WisdomTree Jeremy Schwartz Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan Locations: Japan, India, China

☆ Google and Apple's rumored partnership could upend the AI industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, we're looking at what a potential partnership between Google and Apple over AI features would mean for both companies and the wider industry. The big storyGoogle, Apple, AIRebecca Zisser/BITwo of the world's biggest tech companies are reportedly discussing a partnership that would upend the AI industry. Apple is considering integrating Google's AI model, Gemini, into the iPhone . The company has been noticeably quiet around its AI plans compared to peers like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon. So even if Apple and Google come to an agreement, they could still face some serious regulatory pushback.

Persons: —, hasn't, Rebecca Zisser, Mark Gurman, Sundar Pichai, Apple, it's, Tim Cook, Google's Gemini, Insider's Hasan Chowdhury, BI's Phil Rosen, Mike Coppola, Jerod Harris, Grzegorz Wajda, Chelsea Jia Feng, It's, OpenAI, Stephanie Cohen, Goldman Sach's, Goldman Sachs, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Goldman, Josh Edelson, Chip Somodevilla, TikTok, Jensen Huang, Blackwell, Alyssa Powell, elbowed, Manoj Bhargava, Steve Huffman, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Service, Google, Apple, Business, Gemini, Microsoft, Meta, Google's, Getty, Vox Media, Getty Images, Department of, Big Tech, Wall, Cloudflare, Bank of Japan, SXSW, Nvidia, Sports Illustrated, Arena Group Locations: AFP, Woodstock, Arizona , Florida , Illinois , Kansas, Ohio, New York, London

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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Bank of Japan scraps negative interest rate policy in 'monumental' decision
▼ + 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 EmailBank of Japan scraps negative interest rate policy in 'monumental' decisionCNBC’s Kaori Enjoji outlines the Bank of Japan's exit strategy after its "monumental decision" to scrap its negative interest rate policy, hiking rates for the first time in 17 years.

Persons: Kaori Enjoji Organizations: Email Bank, Japan, 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

☆ 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

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