The Bank of Japan had to intervene twice this week to slow gains in govt bond yields, underscoring its determination to curb sharp moves in rates.
Nevertheless, the 10y Japanese yield has skyrocketed to 0.65%, well above the 0.5% from the YCC. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
China's currency regulators are asking some commercial banks to reduce or postpone their purchases of U.S. dollars
That is in order to slow the yuan's depreciation, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The informal instruction, or the so-called window guidance, is the latest in a series of steps taken by authorities this year to bolster a currency that has been hit by China's faltering post-pandemic economic recovery and rising yields for the U.S. dollar and other major currencies. Source: Reuters
Tokyo core-core CPI inflation printed at +0.575% MoM
That's the 2nd biggest monthly increase since Covid. And one of the biggest monthly increases over the last 30 years outside of sales tax hikes. Inflation is not transitory in Japan... $JPY. Source: Viraj Patel, Vanda Research
There it is. The BoJ adjusts Yield Curve Control (YCC)
Japan’s central bank on Friday pledged greater flexibility in yield curve control policy, while keeping its ultra loose interest rate intact and revising its median consumer inflation forecast upward for the current fiscal year. - The Bank of Japan added it will offer to purchase 10-year JGBs at 1% every business day through fixed-rate operations, unless no bids are submitted — a move that effectively expands its tolerance by a further 50 basis points. - In a policy statement, the Bank of Japan said it will “continue to allow 10-year JGB yields to fluctuate in the range of around plus and minus 0.5 percentage points from the target level.” - “While it will conduct yield curve control with greater flexibility, regarding the upper and lower bounds of the range as references, not as rigid limits, in its market operations,” it added. - Still, the BOJ held its short-term interest rate target at -0.1% after a two-day meeting. It also raised its median forecast for inflation to 2.5% for fiscal 2023 after its July meeting, up from its 1.8% prediction in April. Market reaction? The Japanese yen strengthened and 10-year JGB yield rose after the Bank of Japan statement: - Yields for 10-year Japanese government bonds rose to 0.575% for the first time since September 2014. - The yen was trading at 138.64 against the dollar at 12:35p.m. Hong Kong and Singapore time. Source: Viraj Patel, CNBC, Bloomberg
Hong-Kong listed Chinese stocks are soaring this morning as China July politburo statement is more dovish than expected.
China wows to adjust and optimitize property policy and aims to support domestic economy. Source: CNBC
Food for thought
Source: Michel A.Arouet
Japanese stocks have an earnings yield that is 612bps above the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds
Put that in context; in the US, the gap is only 113bps. Little room for error in the US, plenty of room in Japan. This is a margin of safety concept. Source: Jeff Weniger
Fun fact is that Japanese inflation is now higher than that in the US for the first time since October 2015.
Source: Bloomberg, www.zerohedge.com
