Japan Flash PMI Signals Private-Sector Pickup -- Market Talk

0839 GMT - Japan's private-sector activity seems to be on the mend, with a flash PMI gauge showing the fastest growth in nine months. The au Jibun Bank flash composite PMI rose to 50.5 in May from 49.

WSJ04:39 ET

Steady, Widening Service Price Rises May Spur BOJ Hike

Service prices, a key component of Japan’s inflation data, are sustaining momentum, adding to the case for the Bank of Japan to take another step before too long toward policy normalization.

Yahoo Finance19:46 ET

Japan Racks up Trade Deficit as Imports Balloon Due to Cheap Yen

Japan’s trade deficit in April grew nearly 8% from a year earlier as the weak yen boosted the value of imports, offsetting gains from a jump in exports, government data showed Wednesday.

Yahoo FinanceMay 21 23:08 ET

The weak yen is putting pressure on the economy! Japan's trade deficit widened in April, and the Bank of Japan's interest rate hike came under heavy pressure?

Losing the engine of economic growth

Gelonghui FinanceMay 21 22:56 ET

Japan's Trade Deficit Widens in April as Imports Offset Export Growth

Japan's trade deficit widened to 462.5 billion yen in April from 429.8 billion yen a year earlier after an 8.3% year-over-year export growth was offset by the increased value of imports amid a weaker yen, data from the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday showed.

MT NewswiresMay 21 21:42 ET

Forex Stability Is What Japan's Manufacturers Want Most, BOJ Poll Shows

Japanese manufacturers would prefer to see the Bank of Japan (BOJ) prioritise stable currency markets as a bigger monetary policy focus than the pursuit of stable inflation and economic growth, according to a major corporate survey by the central bank.

The Edge MarketsMay 20 07:07 ET