BoJ expected to hike rates before July, with Middle East conflict leaving forecasts steady — Reuters survey

BOJ Expected to Hold Rates Steady

According to a Reuters survey released on Wednesday, all 64 analysts surveyed believe the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will maintain its interest rate at 0.75% in the upcoming week.

Meanwhile, 60% of economists—37 out of 62 participants—predict that the policy rate will rise to 1.00% by the end of June, a figure nearly identical to the 58% recorded in February’s poll.

Among the 44 economists who indicated a specific month for the next rate increase, June was the most popular choice at 32%. July followed with 30%, and April was selected by 27% of respondents.

Market Response

As of this report, the USD/JPY exchange rate has climbed 0.10% for the day, reaching 158.20.