Bank of Japan may signal December interest rate hike, sources say

Key Takeaways

• The Bank of Japan is signaling a possible interest rate hike at its December policy meeting.
• Officials are emphasizing the importance of new economic and wage growth data, particularly given the recent yen depreciation.

Bank of Japan officials are signaling a potential interest rate hike at their December policy meeting, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The central bank appears to be preparing markets for a possible rate adjustment as policymakers weigh economic data and currency developments.

Governor Kazuo Ueda has emphasized the need for additional data on wage growth trends while highlighting how a weakening yen could influence underlying inflation. The recent yen depreciation is factoring into the Bank of Japan’s considerations for a possible rate hike to address inflation effects.

Board member Junko Koeda has indicated the possibility of an imminent rate hike by pointing to the necessity of policy normalization in response to the yen’s recent decline. Bank of Japan officials are tweaking messaging to prepare markets for potential rate changes, with emphasis on data-driven decisions for December.