Bank of Japan board member Koeda comments come via Bloomberg
- recent rises in Japan’s food, rice prices stronger than expected at time of BOJ’s May policy meeting, watching developments carefully
That comment sounds rather hawkish, doesn’t it? The rest that follow are not nearly so hawkish though,
- BOJ’s weighted median inflation still below 2%, must scrutinise whether momentum for stable inflation is becoming embedded in Japan’s economy
- inappropriate to say now specific timing of next rate hike due to high uncertainty over the economic outlook
- Keeping close eye out on possible second-round effect on inflation expectations, underlying inflation from rising prices of Japan’s staple rice
- recent rise in consumer inflation driven mostly by cost-push factors such as higher prices of rice, food items
- BOJ must debate how much it should eventually shrink its expanded balance sheet, balance of JGB holdings
- BOJ not thinking of unloading its ETF holdings immediately
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.