Reuters Asia

By Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) – A new monetary tool introduced by the Bank of Japan to keep long-term interest rates from rising could ultimately become a new policy target once the bank abandons its yield control, a former central bank official told Reuters. The BOJ maintained ultra-low interest rates on Wednesday, including a 0.5% …

BOJ may have crafted new tool for post-YCC era – analyst Read More »

By Takahiko Wada and Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s core consumer prices in December rose 4.0% from a year earlier, double the central bank’s 2% target, hitting a fresh 41-year high and keeping alive market expectations the central bank could phase out ultra-low interest rates. But analysts are divided on whether the Bank of Japan …

Japan’s consumer inflation hits fresh 41-year high, keep BOJ in focus Read More »

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China kept benchmark lending rates unchanged for a fifth month on Friday, as expected, but analysts say future cuts are possible as the central bank has pledged to support the COVID-ravaged economy. The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) – on which most new and outstanding loans are based – was left at …

China keeps benchmark lending rates steady for fifth month Read More »

SYDNEY(Reuters) -Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayres called for the removal of China’s “trade impediments” on Australian exports in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, his office said. China’s Xinhua news agency earlier reported that Thursday’s meeting between Australian and Chinese officials had agreed that trade …

Senior Australian official asks China to remove trade impediments Read More »

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea will drop a face mask mandate for most indoor public places later this month, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Friday, though coverings will still be required on transport and in medical facilities. The lifting of the face-covering rules will take effect on Jan. 30, Han said, in the country’s …

South Korea to lift indoor mask mandate this month Read More »

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s producer inflation slowed in December for a sixth month, dropping to the lowest rate in 20 months, central bank data showed on Friday. The country’s producer price index stood 6% higher in December than a year ago, compared with 6.2% in November, according to the Bank of Korea. The annual …

South Korea Dec producer inflation slows for sixth month Read More »