Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Japan’s annual wholesale inflation reached 4.0% in February, reflecting rising raw material costs and reinforcing market expectations of a near-term interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ). The corporate goods price index (CGPI), which tracks the prices businesses charge each other, matched market forecasts but slowed slightly from January’s 4.2% increase.
Bank of Japan data showed yen-based import prices declined 0.7% in February after rising 2.3% in January, highlighting fluctuating cost pressures. The BOJ had ended its decade-long ultra-loose monetary policy last year, raising short-term interest rates from 0.25% to 0.5% in January, signaling a shift toward tightening.
With consumer inflation surpassing the BOJ’s 2% target for nearly three years, policymakers have indicated a willingness to raise rates further if economic recovery remains stable. Investors are closely watching for signals on future monetary policy moves, as sustained inflation and economic resilience could prompt additional hikes.
Japan’s inflation trend continues to shape expectations for financial markets, businesses, and households. The BOJ’s stance on interest rates remains a focal point, with any further increases likely to impact lending, investment, and overall economic growth.
