Japan current account balance likely improved in Feb

Japan will release the Feb current account (C/A) balance on 8 Apr.  Japan trade deficit narrowed to JPY 424.6bn in Feb from JPY 1.2tn in Jan, although export growth slowed in Feb. Income inflows likely continued to surge on the back of higher repatriation inflows. 

Standard Chartered expects a surplus of JPY 684bn versus a surplus of JPY 68.8bn in January. 

Expects the C/A balance to improve to 0.8% of GDP in 2015 from 0.5% in 2014 on an improving trade balance and stable income inflows.