Category Archives: Japan

Kospi and Nikkei diverge in the Bretton Woods

Posted on January 13, 2013 by macromon

Take a look at the divergence between Korea’s Kospi and Japan’s Nikkei over the past month.   Clearly the result of Shinzo Abe’s policy to weaken the yen. Recall how the last big dollar/yen reversal in 1995 helped set the stage … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Stratfor: Political Change in Asia

Posted on December 22, 2012 by macromon

Good background on the changes coming as the result of Japan and South Korea’s elections.   Good stuff. Stratfor’s Vice President of East Asia Analysis Rodger Baker discusses this week’s elections in Japan and South Korea and the effects on the … Continue reading →

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Bank of Japan Eases

Posted on December 19, 2012 by macromon

Bank of Japan announced this morning it would increase its Asset Purchase Program by 10 trillion yen, from 91 trillion to 101 trillion yen. They split evenly, buying 5 trillion in T-Bills and 5 trillion in JGBs.  The Bank released … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan, Monetary Policy | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Stratfor: Japan and Korea Elections

Posted on December 17, 2012 by macromon

Stratfor’s Vice President of East Asia Analysis Rodger Baker discusses the elections in Japan and South Korea and how the countries’ national interests could complicate U.S. efforts to shape its security policy in Northeast Asia. For more analysis, visit: http://www.Stratfor.com … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Stratfor: Robert D. Kaplan on the Rise of Asia

Posted on December 16, 2012 by macromon

Given today’s landslide election in Japan, which returned Shinzo Abe back to power, we leave you with some great analysis by Stratfor’s Robert Kaplan. I think we have been too long taking Asia’s stability for granted…I can see signs of … Continue reading →

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The Massive Move in Won/Yen Cross

Posted on December 16, 2012 by macromon

Add currency wars to Asia’s geopolitical tensions next year as a result of the Abe landslide. The Korean won/yen cross has strengthened a stunning 19.8 percent since June 4th.  That’s a big move in relative prices and competitiveness between the … Continue reading →

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Abe Landslide — Black Swan 2013?

Posted on December 16, 2012 by macromon

Shinzo Abe may put together a government with a super majority in lower house of the Japanese Diet.   Sounds like a mandate to us. Abe has been promoting a massive quantitative easing by the Bank of Japan and public works … Continue reading →

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Japan’s Tankan Survey Tanks to 3-year Low

Posted on December 13, 2012 by macromon

Japan’s Tankan index measuring business confidence fell to a 3-year low.   Here’s Bloomberg, Big Japanese manufacturers are the most pessimistic in almost three years after a diplomatic dispute with China and Europe’s austerity measures dragged exports to a fifth monthly … Continue reading →

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How the mighty have fallen

Posted on November 3, 2012 by macromon

Peak Japan seems just like yesterday. We remember the days, or daze, working as grad student interns in the U.S. G when all govie economists were studying Theory Z, a Japanese management style and all the rage in business schools … Continue reading →

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Japan PMI falls to 46.9, 18-month low

Posted on October 30, 2012 by macromon

Markit’s press release on Japan’s October manufacturing PMI, Commenting on the Japanese Manufacturing PMI survey data, Paul Smith, Senior Economist at Markit and author of the report said: “The fall back in the headline PMI to an 18-month low during … Continue reading →

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