Japan’s April core inflation hit a four-year low of 1.4%, complicating the BOJ’s hike path against a resilient Q1 GDP. South Korea’s deputy PM said AI wealth must benefit society as Samsung tensions simmer. China Shock 2.0 is deepening across global trade. Singapore revised its growth forecast higher. India’s central bank is set to hold after 125bp of cuts. Today’s Asia intelligence brief covers the region’s finance, markets, economy, politics, and security tape.
Japan
BOJ — April Inflation at 4-Year Low Complicates the Hike Path
Japan’s April core inflation eased to 1.4%, its lowest since March 2022 and below the 1.7% expected. It was the fourth straight month below the BOJ’s 2% target.
Energy prices fell 3.9% as the Iran-war spike moderated. Core-core inflation, the BOJ’s preferred gauge, dropped to 1.9% from 2.4%.
