In December, Japan all item CPI slowed to 0.3% yoy, down from 0.8% yoy and matched expectation. Core CPI, all item ex-fresh food, slowed to 0.7% yoy, down from 0.9% yoy and missed expectation of 0.8% yoy. Core-core CPI, al item ex-fresh food, energy, stayed unchanged at 0.3% yoy.
The data showed that even discounting the fall in energy prices, consumer inflation stayed week. And apparently, the recovery is not passed on to consumers. And business remained reluctant to raise prices.
The data added to the case for BoJ to cut inflation forecasts next week. Back in October, BoJ projects core CPI to hit 1.4% in fiscal 2019 and then 1.5% in fiscal 2020. Such projections would be trimmed to reflect the decline in oil as well as global slowdown.
