The Economist (December 12)
“Since interest rates hit rock-bottom in 2009, the Federal Reserve has repeatedly made optimistic forecasts about when they would start rising, only to delay the big day again and again.” The long-awaited hike now appears imminent. “On December 16th, when the Fed’s rate-setting committee meets, it seems all but certain to raise rates.”
Tags: Fed, Forecasts, Hike, Interest rates
Financial Times (November 4)
It now “seems likely, and indeed desirable, that the BoJ will be forced to expand its programme of quantitative easing before too long.” The Bank of Japan revised both its inflation and growth forecasts downward, and extended its horizon for achieving its inflation target. “Disappointing outcomes do not mean that the BoJ’s combination of an inflation target and using QE has failed, but that it needs to be more enthusiastically pursued. The BoJ can and should contemplate going further.”
Tags: Bank of Japan, Forecasts, Growth, Inflation, Outcomes, Quantitative easing
Bloomberg (October 26)
“Reality keeps beating BOJ’s inflation forecasts.” According to Bloomberg, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) ranks last or next to last in the accuracy of its forecasts for inflation and GDP when compared to other major central banks. The Bank of Japan has had to lower its inflation estimates for all four years from 2014 and now looks poised to follow suit on Friday with its release of updated inflation forecasts.
Institutional Investor (April 2)
Expectations are low as U.S. companies prepare to report first quarter results. Consensus forecasts “show a decline in first quarter earnings of more than 4 percent, with anticipated shortfalls across all sectors. This represents the largest downward revisions since the first quarter of 2009.”
Tags: Decline, Downward revision, Earnings, Expectations, Forecasts, Results, Sectors, Shortfalls, U.S. Q1
Financial Times (May 16)
“The March 11 earthquake and tsunami caused Y2,000bn ($25bn) in damage to plant and equipment at Japanese companies and left many too uncertain of their business prospects to issue forecasts for the current fiscal year.” While quake-dampened consumer demand remains a concern, “it is the problems on the supply side that have contributed most to the uncertainty.”
Tags: Consumer demand, Damage, Earthquake, Forecasts, Japan, Supply chain
