BoJ will likely revise 2026 GDP forecast higher in Q2 report

Sagar Dua FXStreet

According to sources, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) may revise up the fiscal 2026 economic growth forecast in the quarterly report due in July. The BoJ is expected to report that it will keep focus on the risk of inflation overshooting the central bank’s target, Reuters reports.

The sources also stated that the BoJ will keep interest rates unchanged in July but maintain policy guidance pledging to continue raising rates.

Market reaction

The Japanese Yen (JPY) has not shown an immediate reaction to the headlines mentioned above. At press time, the USD/JPY is down 0.45% to near 169.70 even after recovering some of its early losses.

Bank of Japan FAQs

What is the Bank of Japan?

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is the Japanese central bank, which sets monetary policy in the country. Its mandate is to issue banknotes and carry out currency and monetary control to ensure price stability, which means an inflation target of around 2%.

What has been the Bank of Japan’s policy?

The Bank of Japan embarked in an ultra-loose monetary policy in 2013 in order to stimulate the economy and fuel inflation amid a low-inflationary environment. The bank’s policy is based on Quantitative and Qualitative Easing (QQE), or printing notes to buy assets such as government or corporate bonds to provide liquidity. In 2016, the bank doubled down on its strategy and further loosened policy by first introducing negative interest rates and then directly controlling the yield of its 10-year government bonds. In March 2024, the BoJ lifted interest rates, effectively retreating from the ultra-loose monetary policy stance.

How do Bank of Japan’s decisions influence the Japanese Yen?

The Bank’s massive stimulus caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process exacerbated in 2022 and 2023 due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation. The BoJ’s policy led to a widening differential with other currencies, dragging down the value of the Yen. This trend partly reversed in 2024, when the BoJ decided to abandon its ultra-loose policy stance.

Why did the Bank of Japan decide to start unwinding its ultra-loose policy?

A weaker Yen and the spike in global energy prices led to an increase in Japanese inflation, which exceeded the BoJ’s 2% target. The prospect of rising salaries in the country – a key element fuelling inflation – also contributed to the move.

Author

Sagar Dua

FXStreet

Sagar Dua is associated with the financial markets from his college days. Along with pursuing post-graduation in Commerce in 2014, he started his markets training with chart analysis.

GBP/USD consolidates gains, holds above 1.3600

GBP/USD stays in a consolidation phase above 1.3600 on Monday following the previous week's impressive rally. The US Dollar recovers ground due to uncertainty over the potential impact of US economic sanctions' against Iran on energy prices, leaving the risk-sensitive pair on the backfoot.

EUR/USD stays below 1.1700 as markets turn cautious

EUR/USD stays on the back foot and trades below 1.1700 after posting strong gains in the previous week. The pair struggles as the US Dollar attempts a tepid recovery following last week's sell-off that was triggered by the US Treasury's change to bond buyback plan. Meanwhile, investors cling to a cautious stance, awaiting this week's key events and details surrounding the US' economic sanctions package against Iran.

Gold extends rally to fresh three-month high above $4,650

Gold (XAU/USD) extends its advance on Monday, building on the strong rally seen last week following the US Treasury’s buyback announcement and trading at its highest level since May near $4,650.

Here's what I learned trading meme coins

I’ve been trading cryptocurrencies for the past seven years, with meme coins becoming one of the most exciting and implacable parts of my experience. I love them because they represent internet culture and community sentiment, and, let’s be honest, extreme speculation. Newly launched meme coins were especially tempting: get in early enough, I thought, and a small bet could turn into a huge return.

Bessent’s presser in focus

Preview: Busy week ahead, with Bessent kicking this off today, with things wrapping up with Warsh at Jackson Hole. For a month that should have been a temporary period of ‘quiet’, we had anything but last week, with the bond market and tariffs front and centre.

$20 billion offered, $2 billion taken: Why Treasury doubled its buyback cap

The US Treasury moved off its own calendar on Wednesday, and that is the part worth sitting with. At 12:32 GMT, the department said it would at least double the size of liquidity support buyback operations in the 10-year to 20-year and 20-year to 30-year sectors, lifting the maximum from $2 billion per operation to at least $4 billion, effective September 9 and running to November 4.