Brian Fowler

3 weeks ago | bloomberg.com | Brian Fowler

Japanese food and beverage companies will raise prices on more than 4,000 products starting Tuesday to offset higher costs for everything from raw materials to labor, according to a survey by Teikoku Databank. A total of 4,225 products will get price hikes, the most since October 2023, Teikoku said Monday based on a survey of 195 food and beverage firms. Among products to see price increases are processed foods such as sausage, seasonings and beverages including canned beer.

2 months ago | bloomberg.com | Brian Fowler |Zoe Ma

Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world For Customers Bloomberg Anywhere Remote Login Software Updates Manage Products and Account Information Support Americas+1 212 318 2000 EMEA+44 20 7330 7500 Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000 Company About Careers Diversity and Inclusion Tech At Bloomberg Philanthropy Sustainability Bloomberg London...

Aug 13, 2024 | bloomberg.com | Brian Fowler

South Korea’s jobless rate unexpectedly fell to the lowest level since October, giving the central bank further incentive to delay a policy pivot. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 2.5% in July from 2.8% a month earlier, the statistics office said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast the figure would edge higher to 2.9%.

Jun 20, 2024 | bloomberg.com | Brian Fowler

Key measures of Japan’s manufacturing and service activity weakened in June, with the services gauge registering a contraction for the first time in almost two years as companies faced strains from higher input costs. The au Jibun Bank purchasing managers’ services index fell to 49.8 in June from 53.8 the previous month, dipping below the boom-or-bust 50 level for the first time since August of 2022, S&P Global reported Friday.

May 26, 2024 | bloomberg.com | Brian Fowler

Japan’s central bank has scope to hike its benchmark rate to as high as 0.5% by the end of the year if economic conditions stay more or less on the same track, according to a former member of the Bank of Japan’s policy board. “It really depends on the real economy, but if economic expectations stay like the current situation, I think it would be OK for another one or two hikes, ending up at like 0.5% or so,” Takako Masai told Bloomberg TV Monday morning.