ASIA:   The Bank of Japan’s Assistant Governor, Tokiko Shimizu, expressed concern about Japan’s economy due to global economic slowdown and financial market stress. She warned that the rapid interest rate hikes by the U.S. and European central banks could eventually harm global growth. While some Japanese firms are raising prices and wages, Shimizu believes […]

  ASIA: China’s consumer inflation fell to an 18-month low, rising by 0.7% year-on-year in March, slower than the 1.0% gain in February, indicating weak demand. The producer price index fell 2.5% year-on-year, the fastest decline since June 2020, falling for the sixth consecutive month. Food price inflation, a key driver of CPI, slowed to […]

ASIA:   China’s top central banker told attendees at an international finance meeting in Washington on Friday that rapid interest rate hikes and recent bank failures in Western countries were the major sources of global instability. Yi Gang, the governor of the People’s Bank of China, also attributed worldwide inflation in energy prices to “geopolitical […]

ASIA:   The major Asian stock markets had a green day today: NIKKEI 225 increased 336.50 points or 1.20% to 28,493.47 Shanghai increased 19.79 points or 0.60% to 3,338.15 Hang Seng increased 94.33 points or 0.46% to 20,438.81 ASX 200 increased 37.50 points or 0.51% to 7,361.60 Kospi increased 9.83 points or 0.38% to 2,571.49 […]

ASIA:   Japan’s wholesale prices rose 7.2% in March from a year earlier, with the pace of increase slowing for the third straight month, data showed on Wednesday, offering some relief to households and firms hit by a steady rise in raw material costs. The gain in the corporate goods price index (CGPI), which measures […]

ASIA:   Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has urged exporters to diversify their markets and become less dependent on China as Australia cannot separate economic and strategic relationships with China. This comes after both countries reached a consensus to end their dispute over barley, with Australia suspending a case at the World Trade Organization and […]

ASIA:   The major Asian stock markets had a mixed day today: NIKKEI 225 increased 289.71 points or 1.05% to 27,923.37 Shanghai decreased 1.79 points or -0.05% to 3,313.57 Hang Seng increased 154.04 points or 0.76% to 20,485.24 ASX 200 increased 90.90 points or 1.26% to 7,309.90 Kospi increased 35.78 points or 1.42% to 2,547.86 […]

The NYSE will close on Monday, April 10, in honor of Easter Monday. Market Talk will resume on Tuesday, April 11. We wish all who celebrate a happy Easter holiday. ASIA:   The major Asian stock markets had a green day today: NIKKEI 225 increased 45.68 points or 0.17% to 27,518.31 Shanghai increased 15.02 points […]

ASIA: Japanese manufacturers’ sentiment soured in the first quarter to its worst level in more than two years, eclipsing an uptick in service-sector mood, a central bank survey showed, reinforcing views a strong post-COVID economic recovery is some time away. Corporate inflation expectations hit a fresh high with firms projecting inflation to stay above the Bank […]

ASIA: China’s manufacturing sector lost momentum in March due to weak export orders, slowing the country’s economic recovery from COVID-19 policies. The Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 50.0 in March from 51.6 in February, which was the first monthly activity expansion in seven months. However, China’s economy showed signs of recovery […]