Group 1: Inflation and Economic Indicators - Japan's consumer inflation rate decreased to 2.9% in November, remaining above the 2% target for the 44th consecutive month, which strengthens the prospects of a rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) [1] - Core inflation remained unchanged at 3% in October, aligning with economists' estimates, while the "core-core" inflation rate fell to 3% from 3.1% [2] - Rice inflation slowed to 37.1%, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline, after experiencing over 50 years' highest price growth earlier this year [3] Group 2: Bank of Japan's Policy and Economic Growth - The BOJ is expected to raise interest rates to their highest level since 1995, as it concludes its policy meeting, despite concerns about the weak Japanese economy, which contracted 0.6% quarter on quarter and 2.3% on an annualized basis in the third quarter [2][4] - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized the need for proactive spending to boost growth and tax revenues, advocating for looser monetary policy and criticizing BOJ's rate hikes [4] - BOJ Deputy Governor Masazumi Wakatabe stated that raising Japan's neutral interest rate is essential for balancing economic growth and inflation, while cautioning against premature rate hikes [5][6] Group 3: Currency Impact - Following the inflation data release, the yen strengthened slightly, trading at 155.53 [7]

US stock futures rose on Wednesday, poised to backtrack on a string of recent slumps as investors continued to debate what the latest jobs data means for Federal Reserve policy and the health of the US economy. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) nudged up 0.1%, while those on the S&P 500 (ES=F) added 0.2%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) also moved up 0.2%, after US stocks finished mixed in Tuesday's session.  Also in focus, oil jumped over 2% after President Trump ordered a block ...

Core Viewpoint - Bank of America analysts assert that President Trump's tariffs have significantly increased consumer inflation, with no debate on this matter [1]. Group 1: Impact of Tariffs - Since the introduction of "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2, trade deals have been negotiated with some partners, but tariffs on countries like China and Canada remain high [2]. - Trump claims that tariffs will help rebalance the trade deficit and encourage domestic shopping, leading to more manufacturing jobs in the US [2]. Group 2: Economic Analysis - Economists warn that the costs of tariffs will ultimately be passed on to consumers, with S&P Global estimating that Trump's tariffs will cost businesses $1.2 trillion this year [3]. - Analysts believe there is strong evidence that tariffs have contributed to higher inflation for consumers [3]. Group 3: Inflation Metrics - Tariffs are estimated to account for 30 to 50 basis points of the core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) inflation rate, which tracks price changes for goods and services [4]. - Consumers have reportedly borne 50% to 70% of the total tariff costs to date, indicating that tariffs may continue to exert upward pressure on inflation in the future [4]. - The PCE price index increased by 2.7% year-on-year in August, reflecting a rise of 0.1% over the previous two months and 0.2% compared to May [5].

By Hannah Lang NEW YORK (Reuters) -The dollar drifted higher against the yen on Thursday as traders waited for the delayed release of U.S. consumer inflation data on Friday and weighed fresh U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies, which boosted oil prices. The U.S. currency was last up 0.38% on the yen at 152.525 yen, while the U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was last nearly flat at 98.925. The week's main scheduled focus is the inflation data being relea ...

Consumer inflation in Tokyo unexpectedly held steady as a result of temporary factors, in data backing the Bank of Japan’s cautious approach to raising its benchmark interest rate https://t.co/6XcHvWwAQD ...

Company Overview - Oracle's cloud business revenue is projected to reach $18 billion this year, reflecting a 77% year-over-year increase, with expectations to grow to $144 billion by the start of the next decade [1] - The company has a market capitalization nearing $1 trillion, indicating its significant position in the tech industry [3] AI Market Position - Oracle is positioning itself as a utility provider for AI companies, offering essential resources for building and running compute-intensive models, while maintaining compatibility with major cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud [2] - The company is experiencing substantial benefits from the AI boom, supported by concrete financial data rather than speculative projections [3][8] Financial Performance - Following a strong earnings report, Oracle's stock surged by 36%, significantly increasing the net worth of its chairman and co-founder, Larry Ellison, who briefly became the richest man in the world [4] - Oracle has a backlog of deals valued at $455 billion, including a partnership in the Stargate AI project with OpenAI and SoftBank, providing more certainty compared to many other AI companies [6] Operational Considerations - While the backlog of deals (remaining performance obligations) is promising, it does not guarantee revenue, as contracts can be canceled and the timing of fulfillment is uncertain [7]