Imports YoY

-13.5%

In 2019 imports to Japan dropped 5 percent from the previous year's record high amid global trade tensions. Main imports were: mineral fuels (22 percent of total imports), with petroleum accounting for 10 percent and LNG for 6 percent; electrical machinery (15 percent) on the back of telephony, telegraphy and semiconductors; chemicals (10 percent) due to medical products and organic chemicals; machinery (10 percent) in particular computers and units; foodstuff (9 percent) such as fish and fish preparations and meat and meat preparations; manufactured goods (9 percent) on nonferrous metals; and raw materials (6 percent) mainly ore of nonferrous and iron ore and concentrates. Japan's main import partners were China (23 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), the US (11 percent), Australia (6 percent), South Korea (4 percent), Saudi Arabia (4 percent), Taiwan (4 percent), the UAE (4 percent) and Thailand (4 percent).

Exports YoY

-0.3%

Exports of high technology products have been the engine of Japan's economic growth since 1960. Exports account for around 19 percent of total GDP. In 2019 exports fell 5.6 percent from the previous year's record high amid global trade tensions. Main exports were: transport equipment (24 percent of total exports), with motor vehicles accounting for 16 percent; machinery (20 percent) on the back of power generating machine and semicon machinery; electrical machinery (17 percent), such as semiconductors, IC and electrical apparatus; chemicals (11 percent), mainly plastic materials and organic chemicals; and manufactured goods (11 percent), such as iron and steel products, nonferrous metals and manufactures of metals. Japan's main export partners were the US (20 percent), China (19 percent), the EU (12 percent) in particular Germany (3 percent), South Korea (7 percent), Taiwan (6 percent), Hong Kong (5 percent), and Thailand (4 percent).

Balance of Trade

-78700000000

Japan’s trade balance has fluctuated in recent years partly because of disruptions to production and other problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, the country recorded persistent monthly trade deficits as imports surged more than exports. On one hand, the weak yen has helped to drive exports to record highs but on the other, it had made the cost of imported products especially food and energy commodities very expensive. The biggest trade deficits were reported with Australia, China, and Middle East countries while the biggest trade surpluses were recorded with the United States, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore.

Current Account

-5215000000

Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

PPI YoY

-0.2%

Producer prices change refers to year over year change in price of goods and services sold by manufacturers and producers in the wholesale market during a given period.

PPI MoM

0.3%

In South Korea, the Producer Price Inflation MoM measures a month-over-month change in the price of goods and services sold by manufacturers and producers in the wholesale market.

API Crude Oil Stock Change

Stocks of crude oil refer to the weekly change of the crude oil supply situation.

BoC Kozicki Speech

In Canada, benchmark interest rate is set by the Bank of Canada's (BoC) Governing Council. The official interest rate is the Overnight Rate. Since 1996 the Bank Rate is set at the upper limit of an operating band for the money market overnight rate. Previously, from March 1980 until February 1996 the Bank Rate was set at 25 basis points above the weekly average tender rate for 3-month Treasury bills.

20-Year Bond Auction

Global Dairy Trade Price Index

The Global Dairy Trade Price Index measures the weighted-average price of nine dairy products sold at auction every two weeks in New Zealand.

Redbook YoY

The Johnson Redbook Index is a sales-weighted of year-over-year same-store sales growth in a sample of large US general merchandise retailers representing about 9,000 stores. Same-store sales are sales in stores continuously open for 12 months or longer. By dollar value, the Index represents over 80% of the equivalent 'official' retail sales series collected and published by the US Department of Commerce. Redbook compiles the Index by collecting and interpreting performance estimates from retailers. The Index and its sub-groups are sales-weighted aggregates of these estimates. Weeks are retail weeks (Sunday to Saturday), and equally weighted within the month.

Inflation Rate MoM

0.6%

Inflation Rate MoM measures month over month change in the price of goods and services.

Inflation Rate YoY

In Canada, the most important categories in the CPI basket are Shelter (30 percent of the total weight) and Transportation (17 percent). Food accounts for 16 percent; Household Operations, Furnishings and Equipment for 15 percent; Recreation, Education and Reading for 9 percent; Health and Personal Care for 5 percent; Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Products for 5 percent and Clothing and Footwear for the remaining 4 percent. The CPI basket is reviewed every four years on the basis of household surveys. The current weights are based on spending patterns in 2002.

Core Inflation Rate MoM

0.5%

Core Inflation Rate YoY

3.2%

In Canada, the core inflation rate tracks changes in prices that consumers pay for a basket of goods which excludes eight of the most volatile components identified by the Bank of Canada including: fruit, fruit preparations and nuts; vegetables and vegetable preparations; mortgage interest cost; natural gas; fuel oil and other fuels; gasoline; inter-city transportation; and tobacco products and smokers' supplies. It also excludes the effect of changes in indirect taxes.

CPI Trimmed-Mean YoY

3.6%

CPI Trimmed is a measure of core inflation that excludes CPI components whose rates of change in a given month are located in the tails of the distribution of price changes. This measure helps filter out extreme price movements that might be caused by factors specific to certain components. In particular, CPI-trim excludes 20 percent of the weighted monthly price variations at both the bottom and top of the distribution of price changes, and thus it always removes 40 percent of the total CPI basket.

CPI Median YoY

3.7%

CPI median is a measure of core inflation corresponding to the price change located at the 50th percentile (in terms of the CPI basket weights) of the distribution of price changes in a given month. This measure helps filter out extreme price movements specific to certain components. This approach is similar to CPI-trim as it eliminates all the weighted monthly price variations at both the bottom and top of the distribution of price changes in any given month, except the price change for the component that is the midpoint of that distribution.

Housing Starts MoM

3.9%

Housing Starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that have begun during any particular month. Estimates of housing starts include units in structures being totally rebuilt on an existing foundation.

Building Permits MoM Prel

0.1%

Building Permits refer to the approvals given by a local jurisdictions before the construction of a new or existing building can legally occur. Not all areas of the United States require a permit for construction.

Housing Starts

1452000

Housing Starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that have begun during any particular month. Estimates of housing starts include units in structures being totally rebuilt on an existing foundation.

Building Permits Prel

1443000

Building Permits refer to the approvals given by a local jurisdictions before the construction of a new or existing building can legally occur. Not all areas of the United States require a permit for construction.

ECB Elderson Speech

In the Euro Area, benchmark interest rate is set by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability which is to keep inflation below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term. In times of prolonged low inflation and low interest rates, ECB may also adopt non-standard monetary policy measures, such as asset purchase programmes. The official interest rate is the Main refinancing operations rate.

Bundesbank Wuermeling Speech

Germany is a member of the European Union which has adopted the euro. Germany's benchmark interest rate is set by the European Central Bank. The official designation for the rate is main refinancing operation.

Current Account

Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

PPI MoM

In Portugal, the Producer Price Inflation MoM measures the monthly evolution of transaction prices in economic activities for the domestic and foreign markets. The indices are obtained based on the Survey on Prices in the Production of Industrial Products, carried out by electronic form, with companies based in the national territory, focusing mainly on the extractive, manufacturing and electricity, gas and water industries. About 10123 prices are collected every month. Intermediate goods is the biggest segment of producer prices, accounting for 36 percent of total PPI, followed by consumer goods (31 percent), energy (20 percent) and capital goods (12 percent).

PPI YoY

-6.7%

In Portugal, the Industrial Production Price Index aims to show the monthly evolution of transaction prices in economic activities for the domestic and foreign markets. The indices are obtained based on the Survey on Prices in the Production of Industrial Products, carried out by electronic form, with companies based in the national territory, focusing mainly on the extractive, manufacturing and electricity, gas and water industries. About 10123 prices are collected every month. Intermediate goods is the biggest segment of producer prices, accounting for 36 percent of total PPI, followed by consumer goods (31 percent), energy (20 percent) and capital goods (12 percent).

Harmonised Inflation Rate YoY

2.4%

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is an indicator of inflation and price stability for the European Central Bank (ECB). The HICP is compiled by Eurostat and the national statistical institutes in accordance with harmonised statistical methods. The ECB aims to maintain annual inflation rates as measured by the HICP below, but close to, 2% over the medium term.

CPI Final

123.36

Inflation Rate MoM Final

-0.1%

Inflation Rate MoM measures month over month change in the price of goods and services.

Core Inflation Rate YoY Final

5.5%

In Euro Area, the core inflation rate is calculated using the weighted average of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Price (HICP) aggregates, excluding energy, food, alcohol & tobacco that face volatile price movements.

Inflation Rate YoY Final

5.3%

In Euro Area, the inflation rate is calculated using the weighted average of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Price (HICP) aggregates. The main components of the HICP are: food, alcohol and tobacco (21 percent of the total weight), energy (11 percent), non-energy industrial goods (27 percent) and services (42 percent). The HICP aggregates are computed as the weighted average of each country’s HICP components. The weight of a country is its share of household final monetary consumption expenditure in the total of the country’s group. The local HICPs are supplied to the Eurostat by the National Statistical Institutes.

30-Year Treasury Gilt Auction

4.484%

Current Account

5995000000

Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

Unemployment Rate

2.8%

In Hong Kong, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.

Current Account s.a

Current Account

36770000000

Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).

FDI (YTD) YoY

-4%

In China, Foreign Direct Investment refers to foreign capital actually utilized, which is to the amount which has been actually used according to the agreements and contracts, including cash, materials and invisible capital such as labor service and technology which both parties agree to take as an investment.

Balance of Trade

2600000000

Switzerland has been running consistent trade surpluses. The biggest trade surpluses are recorded with the US, India, the UK, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore; and the largest deficits were recorded with the UAE, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Thailand.

MAS 12-Week Bill Auction

MAS 4-Week Bill Auction

52-Week Bill Auction

-0.0679%

RBA Meeting Minutes

In Australia, interest rates decisions are taken by the Reserve Bank of Australia's Board. The official interest rate is the cash rate. The cash rate is the rate charged on overnight loans between financial intermediaries, is determined in the money market as a result of the interaction of demand for and supply of overnight funds.

Ganesh Chaturthi