Japan Employment and Unemployment March 2008

Seasonally adjusted unemployment dipped to 3.8 per cent in March. While that was better than the flat result of 3.9 per cent in a consensus market forecast, economists focused instead on a fall in the ratio of job offers to job seekers. That slipped to 0.95, meaning 95 jobs were available per 100 applicants.”The trend shows hiring is slowing for the moment especially among small businesses, while

Japanese Household Spending March 2008

Overall household spending fell 1.6 per cent in March from a year earlier in price-adjusted real terms, countering a median market forecast for a 0.5 per cent increase and further signalling weak consumer spending. Such weakness in the domestic economy will likely keep the BOJ concerned about downside risks in coming months.Still, like other central banks, the BOJ faces rising fuel, raw materials

Japan Industrial Output March 2008

The Bank of Japan kept interest rates on hold as expected on today as rather gloomy industrial output, household spending and job figures pointed to weakening growth in the wake of the credit crisis. The weak data, along with a slump in U.S. consumer confidence, pushed up Japanese bond prices, amid worries that American economic woes were hitting the big exporters that are sustaining Japanese

Japan Retail Sales March 2008

Japan's retail sales rose in March as households paid more for gasoline and food, leaving them less to spend on clothing and furniture. Sales climbed 1.1 percent from a year earlier, the Trade Ministry said today in Tokyo.

Japan Consumer Price Inflation March 2008

Well inflations seems to be making all the news at the moment, even in Japan. Japan's consumer prices rose at the fastest pace in a decade in March as companies passed on higher costs of gasoline and food to protect profits. The headline core CPI rate, which includes fast-rising energy prices - but excludes fresh fruit, fish and vegetables - was up 1.2 per cent on-year the statistics bureau

Japanese Exports March 2008

Well Japan's "indian summer" of growth may well be drawing to a close as the slowing rate of increase in world trade gradually takes its toll. Japan's exports rose in March at the slowest pace in almost three years as shipments to Asia - which had been giving some additional impetus - lost momentum while the impact on U.S. exports of the slowdown there continued to bite. Exports, which were

Japan Consumer Confidence March 2008

Well, Japan's consumer confidence ticked back up ever so slightly again in March, but as you can see from the chart, this is really nothing to write home about.Japan's consumer confidence rose from February's five-year low in March after households said they were more optimistic about job prospects. The sentiment index climbed to 36.7 last from 36.1 in February, the Cabinet Office said today in

Japan Machinery Orders February 2008

Japanese machinery orders fell in February after accelerating at the fastest pace in seven years January. Equipment orders, which give an indication of capital spending levels over the next three to six months, declined 12.7 percent from January, when they climbed 19.6 percent, the Cabinet Office said today in Tokyo. Perhaps it is just worth taking a look at the cabinet office charts on the

Japan Economy Watchers Index March 2008

Sentiment among Japanese merchants bounced back slightly to its highest level in four-months in March. The Economy Watchers index, a survey of barbers, taxi drivers and others who deal directly with consumers, rose to 36.9 from 33.6 in February, the Cabinet Office said today in Tokyo. Meanwhile the outlook index of conditions in two to three months fell to 38.2. Basically I think this is

2008 OECD Survey of Japan

Today we learned, if anything, that Japan is indeed balancing on the knife's edge of a recession. With the leading economic index clocking in a score of 50 which is right in the bulls eye between expansion (>50) and contraction (<50). For more on the cyclical assessment I am referring to my most recent write up here as well as the numerous analytical posts Edward has made in the context of

(Un)steady as She Goes in Japan

Last time I had a look at the economic state of play in Japan I asked the rhetorical question of whether Japan was resisting the signs and claims that she is heading towards a recession. Upbeat signs from household spending and a smaller than expected revision of Q4 GDP suggested that this might be the case. In my note however I reiterated my general discourse on Japan in which I have argued