Japan ends negative interest rates, but QE continues

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Japan ends negative interest rates, but QE continues

As Japan puts an end to the global negative interest rate era, its central bank's QE programme remains in place and may be a model for peers. Investors maintain a bullish outlook on the stock market.

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Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda answers questions after a policy meeting at the BoJ’s headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday | Photo: Reuters

Global attention pivoted to Japan on Tuesday (March 19) when the Bank of Japan, led by governor Kazuo Ueda, finally abandoned negative interest rates, raising its deposit rate from -0.10% to 0.00 to 0.10%. This move signals Japan's triumphant emergence from its lost decades and a return to growth, while marking the end of the global negative interest rate era.

I think it's a very good condition for the Japanese economy at the moment. Reasonable inflation is taking place
Eisuke Sakakibara
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Eisuke Sakakibara, Japan's former vice-minister of finance for international affairs, known as 'Mr. Yen', addressed the Jefferies Asia Forum on Wednesday morning with a tone of certainty, asserting that the risk of Japan falling back into deflation or facing hyperinflation remains low.

“I think it's a very good condition for the Japanese economy at the moment," Sakakibara declared. "Reasonable inflation is taking place."

Such confidence appears well-founded. Inflation hit 3.2%


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