Bank of Japan expects stronger-than-expected inflation

Odaily Planet Daily News: According to people familiar with the matter, Bank of Japan officials believe that price increases are slightly higher than expected earlier this year, a factor that may open the door to discussing whether to raise interest rates as global trade tensions ease. People familiar with the matter said that officials expect the Bank of Japan's benchmark interest rate to remain unchanged at 0.5% at the end of the two-day meeting next week because they need to monitor the progress of global tariff negotiations and their impact on the economy. But people familiar with the matter said that if the tariff measures prove to be not too destructive to the underlying price trends, officials will consider this to support the discussion of whether to raise interest rates. The remarks of these people indicate that if the global trade situation becomes clearer, the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates before the end of this year. (Jinshi)