BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told the parliament today that “the economy is sustaining its momentum for achieving our 2 percent target. But that momentum lacks strength, so we will carefully watch developments.” For now, though, Kuroda added ” I don’t see the need to take additional monetary easing steps”. And BoJ has no preset idea of what tools to use if more easing is needed, but policy makers will “carefully weigh the cost and benefit of any step we take.”
Released from Japan, household spending dropped -0.3% yoy in October, much worse than expectation of 1.2% yoy rise. Labor cash earnings rose 1.5% yoy, higher than expectation of 1.0% yoy. The weak spending data highlights the fact that there is no condition for consumption to strengthen yet. It still take time for the rise in wages to pass though to consumption and then inflation.
Separately, according to a Reuters poll, 55% of Japanese companies expect 2019 growth to be around the same as 1% in 2018. 31% see it slowing and only 14% see it accelerating. Among the concerns of business, the planned sales tax hike in October and US-China trade war top. US-Japan trade negotiations, emerging markets and Middle East tensions are also seen as risks to growth.
