Weak yen may actually deter Bank of Japan from hiking rates soon

Weak yen may actually deter Bank of Japan from hiking rates soon

The yen’s fresh slide to a 34-year low complicates the Bank of Japan‘s deliberations on the timing of a next interest rate hike, as a resulting rise in import costs pushes up inflation but also hurts already weak consumption and the broader economy. If that weakness persists and discourages small firms from hiking pay, the … Read more

Shinzo Abe’s Lesson for U.S.: Leaning on a Central Bank Has Its Limits

Shinzo Abe’s Lesson for U.S.: Leaning on a Central Bank Has Its Limits

TOKYO—Japan’s next leader will face a question many other countries are now grappling with because of the coronavirus pandemic: How much can central banks do to pull economies out of a deep malaise? Shinzo Abe, who said Friday he would resign after nearly eight years in office because of illness, leaned heavily on the Bank … Read more