Bloomberg (April 19)
“Sales of previously owned US homes fell in March by more than forecast, underscoring a housing market that’s still on shaky footing despite some signs of stabilizing.” Though inventory remains tight, “the median selling price of a previously owned home fell 0.9% from a year earlier to $375,700 in March — the largest decline since January 2012.”
Tags: Decline, Forecast, Homes, Inventory, March, Sales, Selling price, Shaky, Stabilizing, U.S., Underscoring. Housing market
The Diplomat (May 2)
“Two and half years on and Japan remains an outlier among industrialized G-7 nations, which have re-opened for tourists and eliminated quarantines.” The border restrictions “prevent Japan from benefiting from the weak yen,” which would “encourage inbound tourism and play a considerable role stabilizing the currency and creating jobs.” Nevertheless, “public opinion and the pernicious idea that COVID-19 is brought in by foreigners” seem to be driving debate, with international tourism “unlikely to be given the green light until the second half of the year following the result of the upper house election.”
Tags: Border restrictions, COVID-19, Currency, Election, Foreigners, G-7, Inbound tourism, Industrialized, Japan, Jobs, Outlier, Public opinion, Quarantines, Re-opened, Stabilizing, Tourists, Upper house, Weak yen
