Japan unexpectedly slipped into a recession at the end of last year, losing its title as the world's third-biggest economy to Germany and raising doubts about when the central bank would begin to exit its decade-long ultra-loose monetary policy.
Some analysts are warning of another contraction in the
current quarter as weak demand in China, sluggish consumption and production
halts at a unit of Toyota Motor Corp all point to a challenging path to an
economic recovery.
"What's particularly striking is the sluggishness in
consumption and capital expenditure that are key pillars of domestic
demand," said Yoshiki Shinke, senior executive economist at Dai-ichi Life
Research Institute.
"The economy will continue to lack momentum for the
time being with no key drivers of growth."
Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) fell an annualised 0.4%
in the October-December period after a 3.3% slump in the previous quarter,
government data showed on Thursday, confounding market forecasts for a 1.4%
increase.
Two consecutive quarters of contraction are typically
considered the definition of a technical recession.
While many analysts still expect the Bank of Japan to phase
out its massive monetary stimulus this year, the weak data may cast doubt on
its forecast that rising wages will underpin consumption and keep inflation
durably around its 2% target.
"Two consecutive declines in GDP and three consecutive
declines in domestic demand are bad news, even if revisions may change the
final numbers at the margin," said Stephan Angrick, senior economist at
Moody's Analytics.
"This makes it harder for the central bank to justify a
rate hike, let alone a series of hikes."
Economy minister Yoshitaka Shindo stressed the need to
achieve solid wage growth to underpin consumption, which he described as
"lacking momentum" due to rising prices.
"Our understanding is that the BOJ looks
comprehensively at various data, including consumption, and risks to the
economy in guiding monetary policy," he told a news conference after the
data's release, when asked about the impact on BOJ policy.
The yen was steady following the release of the data and
last stood at 150.22 per dollar, pinned near a three-month low hit earlier in
the week.
The Nikkei rose 0.8%, reversing some of its losses made from
the previous session, possibly on expectations the BOJ may continue with its
massive easing programme for longer than expected.
On a quarterly basis, GDP slid 0.1% against median forecasts
of a 0.3% gain, and compared with a 0.8% contraction in the previous quarter.
CONSUMPTION, CAPEX WEAK
Private consumption, which makes up more than half of
economic activity, fell 0.2%, weaker than a market forecast for a 0.1% gain, as
rising living costs and warm weather discouraged households from dining out and
buying winter clothes.
Capital expenditure, another key private-sector growth
engine, fell 0.1%, compared with forecasts of a 0.3% gain, as supply
constraints delayed construction projects.
External demand, or exports minus imports, contributed 0.2
percentage point to GDP as exports rose 2.6% from the previous quarter, the
data showed.
The BOJ has been laying the groundwork to end negative rates
by April and overhaul other parts of its ultra-loose monetary framework, but is
likely to go slow on any subsequent policy tightening amid lingering risks,
sources have told Reuters.
While BOJ officials have not offered clues on when exactly
they could end negative rates, many market players expect such an action to
happen either in March or April. A Reuters poll taken in January showed April
as the top choice among economists for the negative rate policy to be
abandoned.
Some analysts say Japan's tight labour market and robust
corporate spending plans are keeping alive the chance of an early exit from
ultra-loose policy.
"While the second consecutive contraction in GDP in Q4
would suggest that Japan's economy is now in recession, business surveys and
the labour market tell a different story. Either way, growth is set to remain
sluggish this year as the household savings rate has turned negative,"
said Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia-Pacific at Capital Economics.
"The (BOJ) has been arguing that private consumption
has 'continued to increase moderately' and we suspect that it will continue to
strike an optimistic tone at its upcoming meeting in March," Thieliant
said, sticking to his projection the bank will end its negative interest rate
policy in April.
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