Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
The core consumer price index (CPI), excluding volatile fresh food, rose 3.7% year-on-year in May, surpassing market forecasts and accelerating from April’s 3.5%. It marked the fastest pace since January 2023’s 4.2%.
A separate index, stripping out fresh food and fuel, climbed 3.3%, the highest since January 2024.
The rise was driven largely by persistent food inflation. Staple rice prices doubled compared to last year, while rice balls rose nearly 20% and chocolate bars by 27%.
Service-sector inflation also rose to 1.4% from 1.3%, reflecting firms passing on higher labour costs.
The data highlights the BOJ’s challenge in balancing inflation pressures with risks from U.S. trade uncertainty under President Trump. A Reuters poll showed a slight majority of economists expect the BOJ’s next rate hike in early 2026.
BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said underlying inflation remains below target but could re-accelerate. “If our forecasts materialise, we expect to keep raising interest rates,” he said.
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Russian political analyst Sergey Markov praised President Ilham Aliyev as one of the most experienced and wise leaders of the modern world, highlighti...
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Several nights a week, Daria Slavytska packs a stroller with blankets, food, and a yoga mat. Then she heads into the Kyiv subway with her two-year-old son Emil, to sleep.
Russian political analyst Sergey Markov praised President Ilham Aliyev as one of the most experienced and wise leaders of the modern world, highlighting his victory and full restoration of control over Karabakh.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels have agreed on a declaration of principles in Qatar on Saturday. The ceasefire aims to halt fighting and pave the way for broader peace talks, though major challenges remain.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 300 Russian attack drones and more than 30 missiles of various types were launched against peaceful Ukrainian cities overnight, in one of the largest air assaults in recent weeks.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
Israeli researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence tool that can determine a person’s true biological age from tiny DNA samples with remarkable precision.
Two Harry Potter actresses, Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker, have each received a six-month driving ban after separate speeding offences, both sentenced on the same day at a Buckinghamshire court.
U.S. markets closed mostly flat Friday, capping a third winning week out of four.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law on Friday, creating the first U.S. regulatory framework for dollar-backed stablecoins and marking a major win for the crypto industry.
Oil prices edged higher on Friday, heading for a small weekly loss, as investors weighed new European Union sanctions against Russia.
As some top global banks scale back climate efforts, India is moving forward with mandatory rules for lenders to report and manage climate-related financial risks.
The Indian rupee is expected to open stronger on Friday, supported by gains in other Asian currencies and a temporary pause in the U.S. dollar index’s upward trend.
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