As expected, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised interest rates 25bp to 1.25% at its September meeting. The decision reflects the resilience of the Japanese economy, and the ongoing inflation risk emanating from the conflict in the Middle East. However, life is likely to become more complicated for the BOJ. Specifically, I expect economic growth … Continue reading BOJ: Deflation Legacy = Continued Caution
Tag: dollar
Trump 2.0: Tariffs, Trade, and the Dollar
25 September 2025 To be sure, financial markets have needed to react to a daily diet of consequential, and often quickly reversed, policy announcements during the early months of Trump 2.0. What has been consistent, however, has been the US dollar's depreciation: the greenback has fallen 10% this year. Indeed, many had expected the dollar … Continue reading Trump 2.0: Tariffs, Trade, and the Dollar
Trump Tariffs: Common Sense is Not So Common
13 April 2025 In his inaugural speech, President Trump pledged a "revolution of common sense". However, as French Enlightenment philospher Voltaire warned, "common sense is not so common". In his recent so-called Liberation Day presentation, Mr. Trump combined a misreading of history and poor economic analysis; unveiling "reciprocal" tariffs on the nation's trading partners. The … Continue reading Trump Tariffs: Common Sense is Not So Common
Global Fiscal Policy: Keep the Pedal to the Metal
16 March 2021 In the past week, the Biden Adminstration passed its historic American Rescue Plan (ARP) and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled his budgetary program for the coming years. The message from both is clear, the immediate priority is to provide Covid-related relief to household and businesses. Concerns about rising public sector debt would … Continue reading Global Fiscal Policy: Keep the Pedal to the Metal