News Tag: Japan
March 17, 2010
After a two-day policy board meeting, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has elected to keep interest rates at 0.1%.
Interest rates in the world’s second largest economy have been at the low level since December 2008 in a bid to fight off deflation.
It is anticipated that the central Bank will leave rates at the low rate until around 2012 as ...
BoJ elects to hold interest rates at 0.1%
by Kay Murchie
March 11, 2010
The Cabinet Office today revealed the world’s no.2 economy grew at a slower rate in the fourth quarter than previous estimates showed.
According to official figures, the Japanese economy grew by 0.9% between the October and December period, rather than the 1.1% previously estimated.
On an annual basis, the Japanese economy grew at a rate of 3.8% in the final quarter of ...
Japanese Q4 economic growth figures revised downwards
by Kay Murchie
February 26, 2010
The recovery in the world’s second largest economy appears to be gathering strength after figures revealed a rise in industrial output and retail sales.
Official figures have today revealed retail sales rose last month for the first time since August 2008.
According to the Economics Ministry, retail sales were up 2.6% from a year earlier. However, the rise was not unexpected ...
Japanese factory output and retail sales gain
by Kay Murchie
February 23, 2010
According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), South Korea's share of the global car market grew to an all-time high of 5.7% in 2009.
The KAMA said South Korea produced a total of 3.513 million vehicles last year - 5.7% of the 61.295 million total worldwide.
As a result, the country retained its ranking as the world's fifth biggest carmaker in terms ...
Car production surges in South Korea
by Kay Murchie
February 16, 2010
There have been fears that the return of deflation within the world’s second largest economy could stall growth.
A short period of deflation (where prices fall rather than increase) could be a serious threat to the economy because it deters consumers and businesses from spending in expectation of falling prices.
Deflation was a problem for Japan during its so-called “Lost Decade” in the ...
Japan sets out to fight deflation
by Kay Murchie
February 15, 2010
The Japanese economy grew at a better than expected 1.1% in the last three months of 2009, meaning it retains its status as the world’s second largest economy.
Meanwhile, official figures show that GDP grew at an annualised pace of 4.6% in the fourth quarter of 2009, cementing a strong recovery from its worst recession in decades.
Japan exited recession in the second ...
Japanese economy expands 1.1% in Q4
by Kay Murchie
January 27, 2010
Japan's exports jumped for the first time in 15 months in December to reach 5.4 trillion yen (£37 billion) - up 12% compared with a year ago.
Shipments to Asia, which account for more than 50% of Japan's total shipments, soared by almost a third (31.2%) to 3 trillion yen.
Japan's exports to China surged 42.8% to 1.1 trillion yen due to a ...
Japanese exports up 12% on year
by Kay Murchie
January 26, 2010
The Bank of Japan has again elected to keep interest rates on hold at the low level of 0.1%, as widely expected.
It is anticipated that the Bank will leave rates at the low rate until around 2012 as a result of deflationary pressures.
The world’s no.2 economy exited recession in the second quarter of 2009 but there have been fears that the return of ...
Japan interest rates unchanged
by Kay Murchie
January 7, 2010
Naoto Kan, Japan's newly appointed finance minister, is calling for a weaker yen after the Japanese currency continues to gain strength against the US dollar.
While a strong yen is good news for the economy, it makes Japanese exports less competitive - but means imports are more affordable to Japanese consumers. Exports are a key to the economy‘s recovery.
Kan’s predecessor, ...
Currency intervention may be required in Japan
by Kay Murchie
December 29, 2009
Official figures published yesterday revealed Japan's factory output rose for the ninth consecutive month in November.
Factory output was up by 2.6% in the month and was slightly above analysts expectations of a 2.5% rise.
The rise extended the longest unbroken growth since a 12-month rise to March 1997 and was attributed to growing overseas demand for Japanese goods.
However, there was a ...
Japanese factory output exceeds expectations
by Kay Murchie
December 18, 2009
The Bank of Japan has again elected to keep interest rates on hold at the low level of 0.1%, as widely expected.
It is anticipated that the Bank will leave rates at the low rate until around 2012 as a result of deflationary pressures.
The world’s no.2 economy exited recession in the second quarter of this year but ...
Bank of Japan keeps interest rates on hold to fight deflation
by Kay Murchie
December 10, 2009
There was further bad news for the world’s second largest economy today after it was revealed that Japanese core machinery orders (a highly volatile series seen as an indicator of corporate spending) fell more than expected in October.
Official figures revealed Japanese machinery orders fell by 4.5% in October compared with the previous month, analysts had expected a fall of 4.3%.
The ...
Japanese machinery orders decline in October
by Kay Murchie
December 9, 2009
The Cabinet Office in Tokyo has today revealed that the world’s no.2 economy grew at a far slower rate in the third quarter than previous estimates showed.
According to official figures, the Japanese economy grew by 0.3% between the July and September period, rather than the 1.2% previously reported and slightly less than the 0.7% analysts had expected.
The main reason for ...
Japan’s economic growth figures revised downwards
by Kay Murchie
December 8, 2009
In order to prevent the world’s second largest economy falling back into recession, Japan’s Government is to pump a further 7.2 trillion yen ($81 billion; £48 billion) into the economy.
Japan’s economy emerged from recession in the second quarter of 2009 and also experienced positive growth in the third quarter. However, there have been fears that the return of deflation could ...
Japan injects further 7.2tn yen into economy
by Kay Murchie
December 7, 2009
Chinese state media has reported that annual car sales and production in China has accelerated and topped the 12 million mark to the end of November.
In addition, the Xinhua News Agency reported that the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expects car sales and production to exceed 13 million units for the full year.
China has never produced more than 10 million ...
Surge in Chinese car sales and production
by Kay Murchie
November 30, 2009
Last week, the US dollar continued its fall against the Japanese yen, sliding to a 14-year low.
The falls led to Japan’s finance minister, Hirohisa Fujii, to say that the Government is monitoring the yen but did not suggest immediate intervention.
While a strong yen is good news for the economy, it makes Japanese exports less competitive - but means imports are ...
Japanese yen falls after Minister’s comments
by Kay Murchie
November 27, 2009
The US dollar continued its slide today against the Japanese yen, falling to a 14-year low.
The greenback dipped to 84 yen - its lowest level since 1995, due in part to the Federal Reserve indicating that US interest rates will remain low.
Earlier this week, Yutaka Miura at Mizuho Securities said: “This yen strengthening is caused by dollar selling rather ...
Currency intervention may be required by Japanese Government
by Kay Murchie
November 25, 2009
The Japanese economy cemented its recovery today after it emerged that exports totalled 5.3 trillion yen in October - a fall of 23.2% compared with the same month a year go.
The Japanese economy, which is the world’s second largest, is heavily dependent on exports and suffered its worst recession in decades as it was hit by a slump in demand ...
Japan continues recovery as exports pick up
by Kay Murchie
November 20, 2009
Naoto Kan, Japan's deputy prime minister, has today acknowledged that deflation has returned to the world’s no.2 economy for the first time since 2006.
The Cabinet Office said in a statement that "Japan is in a mild deflationary situation".
A short period of deflation (where prices fall rather than increase) could be a serious threat to the economy because it deters ...
Deflation returns to world’s second largest economy
by Kay Murchie
