THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Bank of Japan lifts policy rate to 31-yr high 1.0% on heightened ... TOKYO - TheBank of Japanlifted its key policy rate to a 31-year high of 1.0 percent on Tuesday following a two-day policy meeting, as it tackles risinginflation risksstemming from elevated crude oil prices due to the Middle East conflict and the weak yen. The central bank, in the absence of Governor Kazuo Ueda who has beenhospitalizedfor treatment of a hepatic cyst infection, raised the short-term interest rate from 0.75 percent for the first time sinceDecember. The latest U.S.-Iran agreement to end the war may have also affected the decision. The bank also said it will slow the pace of reductions in Japanese government bond purchases from April 2027, while maintaining the current pace of reducing them by about 200 billion yen every quarter through March 2027, a decision coming at a time when yields on the long-term interest rates have been rising rapidly. The monthly amount of bonds purchased will be cut to around 2.1 trillion yen in the January-March period, according to the plan. The BOJ decided in July 2024 to cut back its monthly government bond purchases as part of its efforts to normalize monetary poli…

Bank of Japan raises short-term interest rates to highest in 30 years Japan's central bank on Friday raised its short-term rates to a three-decade high, driving a sell-off in government bonds, while signaling its readiness to tighten further as it marches ahead with policy normalization. The Bank of Japan raised benchmark rates by 25 basis points to 0.75%, their highest level since 1995, and in line with expectations of economists polled by Reuters. The BOJ said that real interest rates are expected to remain "significantly negative," adding that accommodative financial conditions will continue to firmly support economic activity. Following the decision, the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds rose about 5 basis points to 2.019%, while the 20-year JGB yield climbed 3 basis points to 2.975%, both reaching their highest since 1999. The yen weakened 0.25% to 155.92 against the dollar, and the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index gained 1.28%. Japan embarked on policy normalization last year, abandoning the world's only negative interest rate regime that had been in place since 2016. Since then, the BOJ has consistently maintained its stance on gradually lifting rates, stating…

Bank of Japan hikes rates to highest since 1995 as yen ... - CNBC In this article Japan's central bank on Tuesdayraised its policy rateto the highest in over 30 years at 1%, in line with expectations of economists polled by Reuters, accelerating policy normalization started in 2024. This is the Bank of Japan's first hike since December, when it raised rates to 0.75%, and the first time since 1995 that rates have been raised to 1%. The BOJ said the decision was split 7-1, with board member Toichiro Asada dissenting and advocating for a hold at 0.75%. The policy tightening comes at a time when Japan has been struggling with a weak yen and inflation that has started to creep up, partly due to the Iran war. The benchmarkNikkei 225was up 0.46% after the decision, while theyenstrengthened marginally to 160.22 against the dollar. Yields on the10-year Japanese Government Bondsclimbed 3 basis points to 2.615%. The central bank said that it willcontinue reducing its government bond purchasesby 200 billion yen per calendar quarter before halting the taper and maintaining monthly JGB purchases of 2 trillion yen from April 2027. The BOJ said Japan's consumer inflation has been below 2% …

BOJ lifts policy rate to 31-yr high 1.0% on heightened inflation risks TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Bank of Japan lifted its key policy rate to a 31-year high of 1.0 percent on Tuesday following a two-day policy meeting, as it ta

Bank of Japan set for landmark rate hike in 30 years; markets to focus ... Bank of Japan set for landmark rate hike in 30 years; markets to focus on BoJ's comments Asia Pacific Author Vatsala Gaur Vatsala G. Dec 18, 2025, 08:44 AM Markets see a high chance of the BOJ lifting rates to 0.75%, the highest since 1995. Investors are focused on guidance, yen movements and the path of future hikes. Rising yields could strain Japan’s economy and public finances despite persistent inflation. Japan’s central bank on Thursday began its final policy meeting of the year, with investors widely expecting a landmark interest rate increase that would take borrowing costs to their highest level in three decades. The Bank of Japan’s decision, due on Friday, is seen as another step in its long-awaited shift away from ultra-loose monetary policy. Data from LSEG show markets pricing in an 86.4% probability that the BOJ will raise its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 0.75%, a level last seen in 1995. Such a move would underline the central bank’s commitment to policy normalisation after decades spent battling deflation with near-zero or negative interest rates and massive bond purchases. Rate hike p…

Editorial: BOJ hikes rates at right time, but gov't ... - 毎日新聞 Bank of Japan Deputy Gov. Shinichi Uchida, standing in for hospitalized Gov. Kazuo Ueda, appears at a press conference following the bank's decision to raise its policy interest rate by 0.25 points to 1.0%, the highest level in about 31 years, in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, June 16, 2026. (Mainichi/Tsutomu Kobayashi) The rise in crude oil prices amid turmoil in the Middle East is pushing up the cost of daily necessities in Japan. This is a moment that will test the true value of monetary policy, whose mission is price stability. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has decided to raise its policy interest rate by 0.25 points to 1.0%, the highest level in about 31 years. It is the first additional rate hike in six months, since last December. The jump in crude oil prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran at the end of February has brought both downside risks to the economy and upside risks to prices. The BOJ has been carefully weighing the impact on the economy. Corporate earnings remain solid, and on June 16 the Nikkei Stock Average briefly rose above 70,000 for the first time. With large wage hikes also continuing, the decision …

Bank of Japan raises interest rates to 31-year high amid Iran war inflation pressures <p>Country follows ECB in increasing borrowing costs, but US Fed and Bank of England expected to hold rates</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/jun/16/japan-hikes-interest-rates-inflation-iran-war-thames-water-rescue-nationalisation-latest-news-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has raised interest rates to a 31-year high, as it tried to dampen inflationary pressures created by the Iran war.</p><p>Policymakers in Tokyo <a href="https://www.boj.or.jp/en/mopo/mpmdeci/mpr_2026/k260616c.pdf">raised the BoJ’s short-term policy rate by a quarter of one percentage point, to 1% from 0.75%</a>, and warned that companies were passing on rising oil costs to each other at a “relatively fast pace”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/16/bank-of-japan-raises-interest-rates-iran-war-inflation-us-fed-bank-of-england">Continue reading...</a>

Yen, oil prices may pick up BOJ rate increase even after hike to 31-yr high FOCUS: Yen, oil prices may pick up BOJ rate increase even after hike to 31-yr high Published on 06/16/2026 at 10:41 am EDT Acquiremedia Share BANK OF JAPAN +2.13% Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida holds a press conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo on June 16, 2026 . (Kyodo) Facing a greater risk of faster price rises from a surge in oil prices coupled with a weaker yen, the Bank of Japan may need to accelerate the pace of policy interest rate hikes to guide inflation to its 2 percent target, economists say. The Japanese central bank on Tuesday raised the policy rate to 1 percent, the highest since 1995, from 0.75 percent. The decision was the first hike since December last year and the fifth since the BOJ made the first increase in 17 years in March 2024 . "We will continue to raise policy interest rates...in accordance with economic, price, and financial conditions," given that the underlying inflation rate is approaching the inflation target and the current monetary environment is accommodative, BOJ Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said at a press conferen…

BOJ lifts policy rate 30-yr high of 0.75% amid persisting inflation TOKYO - The Bank of Japan on Friday raised its policy rate to a 30-year high of around 0.75 percent from around 0.5 percent, signaling that more hikes may be in the offing amid growing confidence that it can attain both steady wage growth and its inflation target. Sorry. This article is no longer available. Sorry, this article was first published more than three months ago and is temporarily unavailable. Once the upcoming introduction of a paid membership system is fully operational, paid members will have access to all our stories. Free Membership Provides Newsletter from Editorial Team and access to archive articles from past three months. By continuing, you agree to theTerms of Use,andPrivacy Policy.

Dollar hits one-year high on Fed hike bets; Japan warns on yen - CNBC In this article The U.S. dollar ⁠rose to its highest in more than a year on Thursday after a hawkish hold from the Federal Reserve triggered bets on ​rate hikes, while yen weakness drew ​verbal warnings from Japanese officials. The ​U.S. central bank held rates steady in a 3.50% to 3.75% range as new chair Kevin Warsh opened his era in charge with a sweeping policy review. Nearly half of policymakers now expect a hike this year ⁠as inflation ‌concerns mount. The Fed funds futures market is fully pricing ⁠in a rate hike by October, according to LSEG data, with a strong retail sales reading further adding to hawkish bets. The euro fell 0.3% to $1.146, while sterling was down 0.6% at $1.321, both at their lowest in more than two months. The dollar index, which measures ‌the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen, euro and sterling, rose 0.7% to 100.79, the highest since May 2025. It surged 0.85% the previous session, its biggest single-day jump ​in over three months. "The Fed's hawkish policy update is threatening to trigger a bullish break out for the U.S. dollar," said Lee Hardman, seni…

FOCUS: Yen, oil prices may pick up BOJ rate increase ... - 毎日新聞 This file photo taken on June 13, 2026, shows the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. (Kyodo) TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Facing a greater risk of faster price rises from a surge in oil prices coupled with a weaker yen, the Bank of Japan may need to accelerate the pace of policy interest rate hikes to guide inflation to its 2 percent target, economists say. The Japanese central bank on Tuesday raised the policy rate to 1 percent, the highest since 1995, from 0.75 percent. The decision was the first hike since December last year and the fifth since the BOJ made the first increase in 17 years in March 2024. "We will continue to raise policy interest rates...in accordance with economic, price, and financial conditions," given that the underlying inflation rate is approaching the inflation target and the current monetary environment is accommodative, BOJ Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said at a press conference after the rate increase to a 31-year high was decided. He offered few clues for the bank's future policy. Governor Kazuo Ueda missed the two-day monetary policy meeting through Tuesday for medical treatment but he is expect…

Bank of Japan hikes rates to 1%, highest since 1995 - CNBC In this article Japan's central bank on Tuesdayraised its policy rateto the highest in over 30 years at 1%, in line with expectations of economists polled by Reuters, accelerating policy normalization started in 2024. This is the Bank of Japan's first hike since December, when it raised rates to 0.75%, and the first time since 1995 that rates have been raised to 1%. The BOJ said the decision was split 7-1, with board member Toichiro Asada dissenting and advocating for a hold at 0.75%. The policy tightening comes at a time when Japan has been struggling with a weak yen and inflation that has started to creep up, partly due to the Iran war. The benchmarkNikkei 225was up 0.46% after the decision, while theyenstrengthened marginally to 160.22 against the dollar. Yields on the10-year Japanese Government Bondsclimbed 3 basis points to 2.615%. The central bank said that it willcontinue reducing its government bond purchasesby 200 billion yen per calendar quarter before halting the taper and maintaining monthly JGB purchases of 2 trillion yen from April 2027. The BOJ said Japan's consumer inflation has been below 2% due to …

BoJ holds rates and halves growth forecast - Central Banking Kazuo Ueda IMF Photo/Nicholas Karlin Central Banking Newsdesk 28 Apr 2026 Tweet Facebook LinkedIn Save this article Send to Print this page The Bank of Japan has left interest rates unchanged in a 6–3 vote, as it halved its growth forecast and as its governor said inflation would be “significantly” higher than the bank’s previous estimates. The BoJ’s monetary policy board today (April 28) voted to keep rates at 0.75% for the third time in a row following a two-day meeting, a decision that was in line with the expectations of analysts polled by Reuters and Bloomberg . Members voting against the decision had proposed that the bank Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content. To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@centralbanking.com or view our subscription options here: www.centralbanking.com/subscriptions You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@centralbanking.com to find out more. You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@centralbanking.com to find out…

BoJ raises policy rate to 30-year high - Central Banking Central Banking Newsdesk 19 Dec 2025 Tweet Facebook LinkedIn Save this article Send to Print this page The Bank of Japan has raised its policy rate to its highest level in 30 years, citing an increased likelihood of achieving its price stability target and signalling a readiness for further increases if the economy develops as it expects. The BoJ said in a statement today (December 19) that its policy board had decided unanimously to raise the benchmark policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.75%. “Real interest rates are expected to remain significantly negative, and accommodative financial Only users who have a paid subscription or are part of a corporate subscription are able to print or copy content. To access these options, along with all other subscription benefits, please contact info@centralbanking.com or view our subscription options here: www.centralbanking.com/subscriptions You are currently unable to print this content. Please contact info@centralbanking.com to find out more. You are currently unable to copy this content. Please contact info@centralbanking.com to find out more. Copyright Infopro Digital Limited. All …

Bank of Japan hikes rates to highest since 1995 The Bank of Japan (BOJ) lifted its key policy rate to a 31-year high on Tuesday as it counters a spike in consumer prices caused by the Middle East war, even as Washington and Tehr...

Bank of Japan takes rates to 1%, the highest level since 1995 The Bank of Japan, beset by inflation and a weak yen, made a move higher and lifted rates to levels not seen since 1995. For most analysts, it was a “done deal” ahead of the actual decision given the market’s growing impatience with wait and see and a growing sense in Japan that prices are simply rising fast. At a two-day policy meeting that ended Tuesday, the central bank voted to raise its policy rate — the uncollateralized overnight call rate — to 1% from 0.75%. This is the first rate increase since December 2025. Trouble in the Middle East has brought a new sense of urgency to Japan’s monetary policy, with higher oil prices making inflation that much worse, while overall, investors have started to sense that the BOJ is behind the curve on rates. The yen has been trading weak and threatening for months to decisively break through the ¥160-to-the-dollar level, considered by some investors to be a red line that will trigger intervention. Before the rate meeting, the yen was trading at about ¥160.1 to the dollar. Although the U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached an interim peace agreement to reopen the Strait of…

BOJ lifts policy rate to 31-yr high 1.0% on heightened inflation risks This photo shows the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. (Mainichi) TOKYO (Kyodo) -- TThe Bank of Japan lifted its key policy rate to a 31-year high of 1.0 percent on Tuesday following a two-day policy meeting, as it tackles rising inflation risks stemming from elevated crude oil prices due to the Middle East conflict and the weak yen. The central bank, in the absence of Governor Kazuo Ueda who has been hospitalized for treatment of a hepatic cyst infection, raised the short-term interest rate from 0.75 percent for the first time since December. The latest U.S.-Iran agreement to end the war may have also affected the decision. The bank also said it will slow the pace of reductions in Japanese government bond purchases from April 2027, while maintaining the current pace of reducing them by about 200 billion yen every quarter through March 2027, a decision coming at a time when yields on the long-term interest rates have been rising rapidly. The monthly amount of bonds purchased will be cut to around 2.1 trillion yen in the January-March period, according to the plan. The BOJ decided in July 2024 to cut back its…

Bank of Japan hikes rate to 31-year high, citing inflation Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index briefly topped 70,000 early Tuesday for the first time ever

BOJ will probably raise rates in June, former board member says The Bank of Japan will probably raise its benchmark rate next month at a meeting that will determine whether authorities can keep from falling behind the curve in fighting inflation, according to a former board member of the central bank. “They will probably raise rates this time,” Makoto Sakurai, who served on the BOJ’s board from 2016 to 2021, said in an interview on Friday. “If they don’t, their policy will fall into a state of being behind. This meeting is of grave importance.” Sakurai added that the June 15-16 meeting comes at a critical juncture for the BOJ. If officials don’t move this time, they may miss the window for action — and wind up having to postpone the next hike indefinitely amid persistent high uncertainties stemming from the Iran conflict, he said. Sakurai’s remarks come at a time when the yen is trading not far from levels where authorities intervened to support it last month, raising prospects for further inflationary pressure from costlier imports. As of Friday afternoon in Tokyo, traders assigned a roughly 78% chance of a rate hike on June 16. Data released earlier Friday showed that the BO…