ChainCatcher message, according to the SoSoValue macro sector display, on December 18th, at the interest rate meeting, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by 25 basis points as expected, bringing the target range for the federal funds rate down to 4.25%-4.50%. For the rate cut pace next year, the Federal Reserve adjusted its expectations from "four rate cuts" to "two" through the latest dot plot. In addition, the Federal Reserve raised its expectations for future core PCE inflation and GDP growth, which is consistent with Powell's remarks, all conveying a more "hawkish" signal than the market expected. Data shows that the market risk sentiment VIX index rose to its highest point since early August (when the Bank of Japan raised interest rates).SoSoValue analysts stated that the FOMC proposed an unexpectedly aggressive rate cut plan, coupled with Powell's "hawkish" remarks, led to a shift in market sentiment towards panic, with U.S. Treasuries even overreacting. The U.S. stock market subsequently corrected, while the dollar strengthened. Overall, all risk assets reacted strongly to the FOMC's latest signals. Based on macro data, we believe that the fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain unchanged, the dollar remains strong, and consensus-driven assets such as cryptocurrencies continue to be a destination for capital inflows. Each market correction driven by sentiment in the game is a good entry point, and we recommend maintaining risk exposure at this time.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the Bank of Japan has kept the policy interest rate unchanged at 0.25%, marking the third consecutive pause in rate hikes.

ChainCatcher news, a Reuters survey released on Friday showed that most economists expect the Bank of Japan to keep its interest rate unchanged at 0.25% during its December policy meeting to assess overseas risks and next year's wage outlook. In the survey conducted from December 4 to 11, 58% of respondents (33 out of 57 economists) believe that the Bank of Japan will not raise interest rates again in December, compared to 44% in last month's survey.All respondents in the latest survey predict that by the end of March next year, the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates by at least 25 basis points to 0.50%, despite almost all central banks globally leaning towards further rate cuts. Analysts say that the Bank of Japan is watching the trends in spring wage negotiations next year and hopes to strengthen communication of policy changes to market participants before the central bank meeting in January through speeches and branch manager meetings. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher news, JPMorgan analysts expect that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates in April and October 2025. By the end of 2025, the policy interest rate is expected to be increased to 1.0%. The Bank of Japan may raise rates twice to 1.5% in 2026. (Jin Ten)

ChainCatcher news, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that if the economic and price trends align with forecasts, the Bank of Japan will continue to raise policy interest rates and adjust the level of monetary support. The timing of interest rate hikes will depend on the economic, price, and financial outlook. Vigilance must be maintained regarding various risks, including trends in overseas markets. (Jin Ten)

ChainCatcher news, the former executive director of the Bank of Japan responsible for monetary policy stated that Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election has increased uncertainty for the Bank of Japan, and if the trend of a weaker yen further expands, it could become a potential catalyst for a rate hike in the near future.Former Bank of Japan official Kazuo Momma said in an interview on Thursday: "The U.S. election has led to increased uncertainty, not just for the Bank of Japan, but for everyone globally. The only reason the Bank of Japan might consider raising rates early could be a rapid depreciation of the yen."Momma believes that a yen-to-dollar exchange rate falling to 160 could be a key threshold for policymakers, but the timing of any exchange rate changes will also depend on the level of public discontent.

ChainCatcher news, Moody's analyst Stefan Angrick stated that the Bank of Japan's economic outlook is relatively hawkish. The forecasts for economic growth and inflation indicate that the bank is still likely to raise interest rates in the near future. Aside from a slight upward revision of the growth forecast for fiscal year 2025 and a slight downward revision of the inflation forecast, these predictions have changed little.Angrick stated, "The Bank of Japan believes that the Japanese economy has moderately recovered, with growth above the potential growth rate." He added that the Bank of Japan indicated that consumption is on a "moderate growth trend," which differs from the "resilience" wording used in July. He noted that these cautiously optimistic assessments contradict the poor data from the past year. "The Japanese economy is stagnating, and evidence of demand-driven price pressures remains scant."

ChainCatcher News: The Bank of Japan has maintained its policy interest rate unchanged, in line with market expectations, while reiterating its commitment to achieving stable inflation and economic growth.Most observers of the Bank of Japan were not surprised by Thursday's decision, as the central bank's governor had expressed increasing concerns about the uncertain global economic outlook well in advance. He also indicated that the Bank of Japan has time to analyze risk factors, suggesting that the bank will continue to act cautiously.In the quarterly outlook released on Thursday, the Bank of Japan stated that it expects inflation to remain around the 2% target in the coming years. This closely watched report will bolster expectations that policymakers will soon raise interest rates again. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher News, the Bank of Japan has kept its policy interest rate unchanged at 0.25%, in line with market expectations. It has also broadly maintained its inflation outlook, indicating that inflation will hover around the 2% target in the coming years, signaling its readiness to continue reducing large-scale monetary stimulus measures. As widely anticipated by the market, the nine members unanimously decided to keep the Bank of Japan's benchmark interest rate at 0.25%.In its quarterly outlook report, the Bank of Japan stated, "The Bank of Japan needs to pay appropriate attention to the future trends of the overseas economy, especially the U.S. economy, as well as the developments in financial markets." Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda is expected to hold a press conference at 3:30 PM local time to explain the policy decision. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher news, a Reuters survey shows that although nearly 90% of economists still expect the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates by the end of March next year, a slight majority of economists believe that the Bank of Japan will abandon further rate hikes this year. The published survey results highlight the challenges the Bank of Japan faces in advancing policy normalization, as most central banks globally tend to favor rate cuts, and there is uncertainty regarding the new political leadership's preferences for monetary policy.

ChainCatcher news, after the widely expected decision by the Bank of Japan to maintain interest rates, investors are now waiting for a press conference later today by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda to see if his stance on seeking further rate hikes has changed.Goldman Sachs analysts stated in a research report: "As the Federal Reserve shifts towards easing monetary policy, some market participants are eager to see if there will be any changes in this stance." They also noted that Ueda's views on the recent appreciation of the yen and its impact on the economy and prices are worth paying attention to. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher News: The Bank of Japan has paused interest rate hikes, keeping the policy rate unchanged at 0.25%, in line with market expectations. (Jin Ten)

ChainCatcher news, the market generally expects the Bank of Japan to maintain the key overnight lending rate at 0.25% this week, while the December meeting may be more interesting.Among the 36 economists surveyed by the Japan Center for Economic Research, 19 expect the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates again in December. Before the Bank of Japan meeting on December 18-19, the bank will focus on key indicators to assess whether the economy is on track, including the Bank of Japan's September and December Tankan surveys, third-quarter GDP data, and corporate earnings for the quarter. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher news, according to informed sources, Bank of Japan officials believe there is no need to raise the benchmark interest rate at next week's meeting, as they are still monitoring the ongoing volatility in the financial markets and the impact of the rate hike in July. Informed sources said that while officials are closely watching the market, their position is that if the economy and inflation continue to meet expectations, the Bank of Japan should raise interest rates.They stated that so far, the recent market turmoil has not significantly affected the views presented in the bank's quarterly outlook report in July. Therefore, officials do not rule out the possibility of another rate hike later this year or in early 2025, depending on the state of the economy and financial markets.

ChainCatcher News, a document submitted by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda to a government panel shows that the central bank will continue to raise interest rates if economic and price performance meets expectations. Ueda submitted the document on Tuesday to explain the Bank of Japan's policy decision in July to the government's economic and fiscal policy panel, chaired by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. After the news that Ueda maintained his stance on interest rate hikes, the yen strengthened slightly against the dollar to around 146.20. The document indicates that Ueda believes the economic environment remains accommodative, as real interest rates are still significantly negative, even after the rate hike in July. The document also notes that due to the economic and price trends aligning with the central bank's projected outlook, and the upward risks to prices, the central bank adjusted its easing level in July. Pacific Investment Management Company's Japanese subsidiary expects the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates again as early as January next year. (Jin Shi)

ChainCatcher message, former Bank of Japan board member Makoto Sakurai stated that given the recent market turmoil after the interest rate hike, and the low likelihood of a rapid recovery in the Japanese economy, the Bank of Japan will not be able to raise interest rates again this year, and it is still uncertain whether they can raise rates once before March next year. It is a good thing that the Bank of Japan wants to raise the interest rate to a normal 0.25%, but this requires a lot of effort, so "they should wait for a while" to determine whether to further raise rates.

ChainCatcher News: Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida stated that if the financial markets are unstable, the Bank of Japan will not raise the policy interest rate. This was Uchida's first public statement following the historic crash of the Japanese stock market, where he mentioned that recent market trends are "extremely unstable," and the central bank needs to temporarily maintain an accommodative monetary policy.Uchida pointed out that authorities need to monitor any potential impacts of market trends on prices and the overall economy, and the trajectory of Japanese interest rates may change based on these impacts.After Uchida's remarks, the yen quickly fell by 2%, while the Nikkei 225 index and the Topix index rebounded by over 3%.