Country: JP | Published: 2026-09-16
Japan's trade picture stays stretched, with a fourth straight monthly deficit as surging petroleum imports outweigh exports that grew more slowly for the first time in half a year.
Japan's trade picture stays stretched, with a fourth straight monthly deficit as surging petroleum imports outweigh exports that grew more slowly for the first time in half a year. Attention remains fixed on the Bank of Japan, where a widely expected rate hike to a three-decade high is being driven by persistent inflation and outside pressure, including from the US. Equity traders are watching whether continued rate bets can keep the Nikkei's climb intact, while retail currency positioning still leans against a stronger yen.