Japanese Stocks Gain as Easing July Inflation Fuels Rate Hike Bets
Japan's equities rose on Friday after data showed inflation in July eased, reinforcing expectations for a potential Bank of Japan rate hike in the coming months.
The Nikkei opened slightly higher by 19.64 points to 42,629.81.
Japan's inflation in July eased, with the core CPI, which does not count fresh food items, up 3.1% over the same month in the previous year after a 3.3% gain in June, data by Statistics of Japan showed on Friday.
Including all items, the reading also moderated to 3.1% compared to 3.3% in June, and marked the lowest since November 2024.
Elsewhere, US stocks and bonds fell as traders pared back wagers on imminent Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, a move prompted by signs of strength in the US economy.
This shift occurred as central bankers and economists gathered for the Fed's symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, ahead of Chair Jerome Powell's highly anticipated speech on Friday.
Source: MT newswires