logo
MUFG Chief Calls for Earlier Bank of Japan Rate Hike to Tackle Inflation

MUFG Chief Calls for Earlier Bank of Japan Rate Hike to Tackle Inflation

Bloomberg3 hours ago
By and Hideki Suzuki
Save
The chief executive of Japan's largest bank wants the Bank of Japan to raise its policy rate as early as the next meeting, given the outlook for higher inflation in the country.
'Our official company view sees March next year as a possible timing of the rate hike. But personally, I think September or October is quite possible,' Hironori Kamezawa, CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., said in an interview.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Our President Is Economically Illiterate
Our President Is Economically Illiterate

New York Times

time20 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Our President Is Economically Illiterate

When my kids were in college, I insisted that they each take at least one economics course. Being economically illiterate ranks, in my mind, just below not being able to read or write. Now we have a president who is fundamentally ignorant of the most basic and incontrovertible economic principles, as evidenced in his latest round of foolhardy tariffs (and in so many other ways). President Trump has been told over and over again by economists of all political persuasions that tariffs are much like a sales tax and will ultimately be paid by American consumers; he likely would have been taught that concept during his time at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. And while the overall inflation rate has only been edging up since Mr. Trump began imposing tariffs, the cost of many imported items has been escalating. In June, prices for furnishings and durable household equipment — a category with high import exposure — rose by 1.3 percent, the biggest increase in more than three years. Prices for recreational goods and vehicles, which are also frequently manufactured abroad, increased by 0.9 percent, the largest jump since February 2024. And tariffs likely played a role in the sudden slowdown in payroll growth announced on Friday, with the economy having created just 106,000 jobs in the last three months, far less than its monthly average in recent years. Mr. Trump's response? Shoot the messenger: He directed his team to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which compiles the figures. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares fall after $3.8 billion write-down, operating profit weakness
Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares fall after $3.8 billion write-down, operating profit weakness

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares fall after $3.8 billion write-down, operating profit weakness

(Reuters) -Class A shares of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway fell 3% in afternoon trading on Monday, as investors fretted over a $3.8 billion write-down and a dip in quarterly operating profit that the firm disclosed on Saturday. The write-down of Berkshire Hathaway's 27.4% stake in Kraft Heinz, its second for the company, reflects a significant decline in the value of the investment. Berkshire had taken a $3 billion write-down in Kraft Heinz in 2019. The conglomerate also reported a 4% dip in operating income, which fell from $11.6 billion the year earlier, as underwriting premiums fell and trade policy uncertainties hurt most of Berkshire's consumer businesses. The Omaha, Nebraska-based company, which has not repurchased any shares since May 2024, indicated it remains cautious about market valuations amid ongoing uncertainty over tariffs and economic growth. Class A shares of the company, which have gained about 2% in 2025, lagged the benchmark S&P 500 index. The stock shed gains since Buffett's announcement to step down as the CEO of the conglomerate at the end of the year. Buffett, 94, has led the company for over five decades.

Most Americans Are Stressed About Grocery Costs — As Food Prices Climb
Most Americans Are Stressed About Grocery Costs — As Food Prices Climb

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

Most Americans Are Stressed About Grocery Costs — As Food Prices Climb

Almost 90% of American adults say they're stressed about the cost of groceries, a new poll out Monday shows, as the price of food rises and items like poultry, ground beef and eggs see the biggest cost jumps. A customer shops at an H-E-B grocery store on February 12, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Getty Images More than half of Americans (53%) see grocery prices as a major source of stress and another 33% see it as a minor source of stress, according to a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. More people were concerned about grocery prices than any other financial concern brought up in the poll, but more than half of respondents also said they were at least somewhat stressed about their salaries, the cost of housing, the amount of money they have saved, their credit card debt and the cost of health care. The Consumer Price Index shows the price of food has risen 3% in the last 12 months—groceries have risen 2.4% while dining out is 3.8% costlier than it was 12 months ago. From June 2024 to June 2025, groceries got more expensive in every category tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose in price by 5.6% (egg prices alone rose 27.3%); nonalcoholic beverages are 4.4% more expensive; fruits and vegetables rose in price by 0.7%; and both cereals and bakery products and the index for dairy products rose 0.9%. At 3%, the cost of food is rising faster than the overall inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index, at 2.7%. After groceries, the price of housing had the highest number of people reporting it as a major stressor in Monday's poll (47%), followed by the amount of money saved (43%), salary (43%) and the cost of health care (42%). Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : 81 cents. That's how much the price of chicken breast increased, per pound, from July 2024 to July 2025, according to NBC News, making it the largest price hike among the six staple items tracked by the outlet. The cost of ground beef increased 67 cents per pound, while eggs grew 64 cents more expensive per dozen. While food prices are up despite President Donald Trump's campaign promise to "immediately bring prices down,' 3% is nowhere near the double-digit jumps earlier in the decade. Food inflation was 10.4% in 2022 and 6.3% in 2021. This year is so far slightly above, but largely in line, with price increases in 2023 (2.7%) and 2024 (2.5%). Are Tariffs Going To Make Groceries More Expensive? Probably. The Budget Lab at Yale estimates that tariff price increases will raise food costs by about another 3%. Fresh produce could initially jump in price by almost 7% before stabilizing long-term at 3.6% higher, and processed rice is expected to rise in price by 10.2% in the long term. Other items expected to cost more include beverages, cereal and grains, sugar, meat and dairy products, Yale said. Grocery products imported from other countries, like bananas, beer, wine and cheese, will face additional tariffs. In 2024, the U.S. imported about $221 billion in food products, 62% of which came from five countries: Mexico, Canada, the EU, Brazil and China, according to the Tax Foundation. Trump has agreed to pause higher tariffs on Mexico for 90 days, and has agreed to a 15% tariff on goods from the EU. The White House said Canada will face a 35% tariff rate—up from an earlier 25%—for goods not covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump has threatened a 50% tariff on Brazil due to the ongoing criminal prosecution of his ally and the country's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, and the average tariff on Chinese exports is currently 55%. Further Reading Forbes Advisor Food Prices Rise Again: How To Save On Groceries And Dining Out In 2025 Forbes Rising Prices Are Changing The Way Americans Eat—Here's What's Next By Stephanie Gravalese Forbes Trump Announces New Global Tariff Rates—As He Pushes Back Start Date Again By Siladitya Ray

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store