BoJ to allow 10-year JGB yields to exceed 1%
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) left short- and long-term policy rates unchanged at -0.1% and around 0%, respectively, at the meeting on Oct.31. However, the BoJ decided to tweak the yield curve control (YCC) policy by setting the upper bound of 1% as a reference and by making its Japanese Government Bond (JGB) purchase operations more flexible not to rigidly defend the bound.
What you will learn:
- The BoJ’s quarterly Outlook Report revised the median forecast for CPI (excluding fresh food and energy) to 3.8% from 3.2% for FY2023.
- Although we project that a wage settlement next year will be almost as high as the 3.6% increase this year, our inflation forecast is still lower than that of the BoJ.
- We project that the BoJ will end its negative interest rate policy (NIRP) in April after confirming a reasonably high wage settlement, likely arguing that the economy is on track to stably achieve the 2% inflation target in the coming years.
- Based on our growth and price forecasts, we still believe that the zero-interest rate policy will continue at least for a few years.
Tags:
Related Posts
Post
Japan’s political calendar and yen will delay a rate hike to December
The Bank of Japan maintained its policy rate at 0.25% during Friday's meeting. Although we still expect an additional rate hike this year, we now expect that it will take place in December rather than October, given the updated political calendar and the recent yen strength.
Find Out MorePost
Japan’s BoJ is now likely to front-load policy normalisation
We now expect the Bank of Japan will implement an additional rate hike this year, possibly in October, given the hawkish forward guidance at the July meeting. We previously projected the central bank would wait until next spring to hike again. Thereafter, we expect the BoJ to become more cautious and raise rates only once per year in 2025 and 2026 to reach a terminal rate of 1%.
Find Out MorePost
Japan’s neutral interest rate is rising, but not by much
We estimate that Japan's nominal neutral interest rate – the rate consistent with monetary policy that is neither stimulative nor restrictive – has risen somewhat since 2022, marking a striking reversal from its decades-long slide. More importantly, we project it to continue rising gradually, to around 1% by 2030 from 0% in 2023.
Find Out More