BOJ says wages could come in hotter than expected in latest quarterly outlook report

  • Underlying inflation is expected to increase gradually
  • Firms’ behavior has shifted more toward raising wages and prices, as per the spring wage negotiations
  • Baseline scenario is that virtuous cycle between wages and prices is projected to keep intensifying
  • But there remain
    uncertainties regarding this outlook
  • Need to carefully monitor factors such
    as firms’ wage and price-setting behaviour
  • Moves to reflect
    wages in selling prices could strengthen to a greater extent than expected
  • In this situation,
    there is a possibility that wages and prices will deviate upward from the baseline
    scenario
  • Future developments in foreign exchange rates and international
    commodity prices also present a risk
  • This may lead prices to deviate either upward or
    downward from the baseline scenario
  • Full report

All of this is like a supporting document to their rate hike yesterday and reaffirms the current policy path they are on. The details of the report does highlight a risk to both sides of the inflation equation though. But they are taking it more with a glass half full approach, rather than a glass half empty.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com. Source