Latest news with #JapaneseFirms
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Japan April household spending unexpectedly falls
TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japanese household spending unexpectedly fell in April, as consumers tightened their purse strings in the face of higher prices. Consumer spending fell 0.1% in April from a year earlier, data from the internal affairs ministry showed on Friday. That was worse than the median market forecast for 1.4% growth and March's 2.1% increase. On a seasonally adjusted, month-on-month basis, spending declined 1.8%, versus an estimated 0.8% fall. Consumption and wage trends are among key factors the Bank of Japan is watching to gauge economic strength and decide how soon to raise interest rates. Hefty pay hikes are seen as essential to counter sharp increases in the cost of living. Major Japanese firms on average agreed to more than 5% pay hikes during annual spring wage talks in March. The monthly wage data released on Thursday showed real wages fell for a fourth consecutive month, eroded by stubborn inflation that has continued to outpace pay hikes. Looking ahead, Japanese policymakers and analysts are concerned global trade tensions triggered by U.S. tariffs may weaken wage momentum and complicate the BOJ's efforts to normalise monetary policy.
CNA
4 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Japan April household spending unexpectedly falls
TOKYO :Japanese household spending unexpectedly fell in April, as consumers tightened their purse strings in the face of higher prices. Consumer spending fell 0.1 per cent in April from a year earlier, data from the internal affairs ministry showed on Friday. That was worse than the median market forecast for 1.4 per cent growth and March's 2.1 per cent increase. On a seasonally adjusted, month-on-month basis, spending declined 1.8 per cent, versus an estimated 0.8 per cent fall. Consumption and wage trends are among key factors the Bank of Japan is watching to gauge economic strength and decide how soon to raise interest rates. Hefty pay hikes are seen as essential to counter sharp increases in the cost of living. Major Japanese firms on average agreed to more than 5 per cent pay hikes during annual spring wage talks in March. The monthly wage data released on Thursday showed real wages fell for a fourth consecutive month, eroded by stubborn inflation that has continued to outpace pay hikes.
Reuters
08-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Japan March real wages down for third month, overtime pay falls
TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Japanese real wages decreased for a third consecutive month in March against the background of relentless inflation, while overtime salaries fell at the fastest pace in almost a year, government data showed on Friday. The pay data will add to worries over Japan's growth outlook, alongside tariff threats and uncertainty over monetary policy, ahead of a first-quarter gross domestic product announcement next week. Economists are expecting a contraction. Inflation-adjusted real wages, a key determinant of households' purchasing power, dropped 2.1% in March from a year earlier following a revised 1.5% fall in February and a 2.8% decline in January, labour ministry data showed. The consumer inflation rate the ministry uses to calculate real wages, which includes fresh food prices but not rent costs, rose 4.2% year-on-year in March, slightly easing from February's 4.3% gain but still at elevated levels due to rising food costs. Regular pay, or base salary, grew 1.3% in March, the same pace as in February after a downward revision. But overtime pay fell 1.1%, following February's revised 2.4% growth, indicating a potential softening in business activity. It marked the first dip in overtime pay since September, and the decrease was the sharpest since April last year. Total average cash earnings, or nominal pay, increased 2.1% to 308,572 yen ($2,132) in March, which was slower than a revised 2.7% rise in the previous month. In March, major Japanese firms on average agreed to more than 5% pay hikes during annual spring wage talks, but the effect of such raises typically begins to show up in the government's wage data for April or later. ($1 = 144.7500 yen)
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan March real wages down for third month, overtime pay falls
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese real wages decreased for a third consecutive month in March against the background of relentless inflation, while overtime salaries fell at the fastest pace in almost a year, government data showed on Friday. The pay data will add to worries over Japan's growth outlook, alongside tariff threats and uncertainty over monetary policy, ahead of a first-quarter gross domestic product announcement next week. Economists are expecting a contraction. Inflation-adjusted real wages, a key determinant of households' purchasing power, dropped 2.1% in March from a year earlier following a revised 1.5% fall in February and a 2.8% decline in January, labour ministry data showed. The consumer inflation rate the ministry uses to calculate real wages, which includes fresh food prices but not rent costs, rose 4.2% year-on-year in March, slightly easing from February's 4.3% gain but still at elevated levels due to rising food costs. Regular pay, or base salary, grew 1.3% in March, the same pace as in February after a downward revision. But overtime pay fell 1.1%, following February's revised 2.4% growth, indicating a potential softening in business activity. It marked the first dip in overtime pay since September, and the decrease was the sharpest since April last year. Total average cash earnings, or nominal pay, increased 2.1% to 308,572 yen ($2,132) in March, which was slower than a revised 2.7% rise in the previous month. In March, major Japanese firms on average agreed to more than 5% pay hikes during annual spring wage talks, but the effect of such raises typically begins to show up in the government's wage data for April or later. ($1 = 144.7500 yen)
