Japan - Overall Household Spending for January: +2.0% y/y (vs. expected -1.0%)

Japan - Overall Household Spending for January up 2.0% y/y

• expected -1.0%, prior -0.1%

For m/m, up 2.7%

Strong figures for this data point, its on the improve after lagging for ... months and years. Normally I'd expect the evident improvements in the economy to point to a lesser need for such aggressive central bank (BOJ)easing .... but as long as they are WAY OFF hitting their their target the indications for them are that it is business as usual ... more easing. I guess until they hit target, or change the target ...

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More Japan data to come at 2350 GMT & beyond, then the BOJ later

2350 GMT - Japan - Money stock M2 and M3 for February

0000 GMT - Japan - Wages data for January (preview here)

• Labor Cash Earnings expected +0.7%, prior +0.7%
• Real Cash earnings expected -0.7%, prior -0.5%

BOJ:

• Plenty coming from Japan today, data a focus and then BOJ (previews)
• Waiting on the BOJ announcement? Here is what time to set your alarm (sort of)
• What to expect at BOJ Gov Kuroda's press conference today