The manufacturing activity in Japan reduced at the fastest rate in 7 Months in September, underlining the widening financial impact of the U.S.-China trade spat and keeping the lawmakers under stress to step up stimulus. The Jibun Bank Flash Japan’s manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) declined to a seasonally modified 48.9 from 49.3 in the last month, marking the fastest rate of decline ever since February. The index remained under the 50.0 threshold that splits reduction from growth for the fifth straight month, pushed by a combination of trade hostilities, Brexit ambiguity and political disturbance in Hong Kong.
The major activity estimates in the PMI survey portrayed a miserable picture of the manufacturing industry, and no doubt will boost anticipations for the BOJ (Bank of Japan) to add to its huge stimulus. Apparently, the BOJ is already headed in that direction. During its policy review in the past week, the central bank cautioned about foreign perils and signaled the prospect of more support measures as soon as its upcoming policy meeting in October. The PMI demonstrated factory productivity and whole new orders reduced for the ninth straight month, whilst the accumulation of work declined to a level not observed from late 2012. Joe Hayes—Economist at IHS Markit—said, “Anecdotal proof further mentioned the robust external tailwinds Japanese manufacturers encountered, such as the U.S.-China trade tensions, Brexit, the Hong Kong protests, and the diplomatic clash amid Japan and South Korea.”
On a similar note, earlier, Japanese economy minister stated that BOJ’s decision-making is appropriate. At a news conference, Yasutoshi Nishimura—Japanese Economy Minister—said that he thought Japan’s central bank was settling on appropriate decisions whilst seeing the economic conditions. The BOJ maintained the monetary policy steady but indicated the odds of expanding stimulus as soon as in its next policy summit in October by announcing a stronger caution over the perils threatening the economy.