• But Japan is not in a situation where rates can be raised significantly
• 2% inflation target is not so easy to meet
• Negative interest rates provide the basis for current monetary stimulus
• Appropriate to continue negative interest rates for now
• We are at a stage now to wait and see on December policy tweaks
• Yield target, ETF purchases have had side effects
• But that does not mean it was a mistake to adopt them

He is mixing a lot of different remarks in there but the bottom line is that they are still seeing the current policy settings as appropriate to continue with. However, they are leaving the door open to potentially perform a policy pivot down the road – depending on economic and financial circumstances.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

In less than
one month the Finance Magnates Africa Summit (FMAS:23) be officially underway, bringing
together the online trading industry’s biggest players and brands in Africa.
The marquee summit of the year will be held at the prestigious Sandton
Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 8-10, 2023.

FMAS:23 is
uniquely geared towards traders and brokers, with a special atmosphere designed
to maximize networking and engagement opportunities. This includes the opening
Blitz Party.

Attendees can look
to mingle with their peers, other traders, or the biggest brands as well as networking
with the best in the business. This is your chance to live the life of luxury,
meeting the most influential people in finance and start the expo off on the
right foot.

With
just one month to go until FMAS:23, there is still time to register and sign up today for the biggest event of the year!

Why Network
with Other Traders and Brokers?

Every FM event provides
and unforgettable opportunity to bridge all types of individuals and attendees.
FMAS:23 will be no exception, with its opening party and 2 full days of content
and exhibitions.

The content
stream will cover every element of the online trading industry. All kinds of
attendees, be it traders, brokers, or others, will be able to explore these
sessions and discussions at length, as well as engage with speakers and brands
in a one-on-one setting.

This forum is
of particular interest to a growing swath of traders looking to speak directly
to brokers. For brokers, FMAS;23 comes at the perfect time for the retail
trading industry, given the interest and hype of the growing market in
Africa.

With so much of
the industry looking to attract new business and traders, the decision to attend
FMAS:23 this May is easy. Given the excitement, potential, and opportunities with
a fresh, untapped market, FMAS:23 will be providing a special opportunity for brokers,
traders, and all other attendees to network, engage, and learn from one another.

Nowhere else do
attendees have the opportunity to speak directly with so many leaders and
traders in one place in Africa. Individuals can also expect to learn about and
engage with the biggest brands from the retail trading space. This is one event
that you cannot afford to miss.

Use FMAS:23 to
build long-lasting relationships with other brokers, traders, or both. The
countdown has already begun to May 8. Will you be in Johannesburg to celebrate
the biggest event of the year in Africa?

All prospective
attendees are invited to dive into the in-depth agenda, which is already live and available for access. See what sessions hold the most appeal
– with so many angles and areas of focus, there is something for everyone.

This article was written by ForexLive at www.forexlive.com.

• Financial markets regaining stability after recent jitters
• Will do utmost to achieve price stability
• Aiming to achieve price target together with wage hikes (Himino)
• BOJ faces task of making various efforts to sustain monetary easing (Uchida)

Ueda also goes on to acknowledge that the current monetary easing stance is „intense“. I’m guessing that’s a nod to how they are feeling about things and will be hoping to make it less „intense“ in the future. The yen is little changed on his remarks so far today.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

● The
global economy’s focus on transition to clean energy is creating an additional
demand for silver, which is used in solar panels and EVs, that will only grow
in the future.

● According
to Silver Institute research, 2023 will be the year of the biggest-in-decades
deficit in the physical silver market.

● The
easing of monetary policy by world central banks and the inflation slowdown
support the fundamental growth of silver prices.

Gold and silver often go hand in hand when discussing precious metals. Both
metals have been objects of desire for thousands of years, and each has been
found on every continent of the world.

Just
like gold, silver is used in jewellery. However, its demand in industry, where
it is used six times more often than gold, creates a strong interest among
investors.

Nevertheless,
there is relatively little information available on silver, which makes
potential investors more vulnerable to losses.

OctaFX
experts expect that silver reserves will continue to decline in 2023, leading
to a potential increase in its value. Silver prices could reach a nine-year
high of $30, highlighting its strong potential for well-informed investors.

Decarbonization and electrification will
lead to a major increase in demand

Much of
the silver value is determined by its industrial demand and supply
fundamentals. It is estimated that approximately 60% of silver is used for
industrial purposes such as electronics manufacturing, solar cell production,
automotive industry, and soldering, while only 40% is available for investment
in the form of jewellery, silver coins, and bars.

Industrial
demand is growing due to the electrification of automobiles, 5G deployment, and
governments’ commitment to using renewable energy sources, such as solar
panels.

The
demand for renewable energy is a key driver of growth. Silver is an essential
component of solar power generation panels, with approximately 100 million
ounces consumed annually. According to the IEA 2022 renewables report,
electricity from wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) will more than double in the
next five years, providing almost 20% of global power generation in 2027.

This is
expected to lead to a significant increase in the amount of silver consumed in
the coming years. According to projections from BMO Capital Markets, the annual
consumption of silver in the solar industry could grow by 85%—to 185 million
ounces—within a decade.

Silver’s
excellent electrical conductivity makes it an indispensable component in the
automotive industry, especially in electric vehicles (EV), which contain twice
as much silver as petrol cars. Furthermore, charging stations for EVs will
require a substantial amount of silver as well.

By-product silver production is expected to
be the key trend of the next decade

Most of
the silver supply is generated as a by-product of base metals mining, with
zinc, lead, and copper mining accounting for 59% of silver production.
Specialised silver mines are costly, as they are very large projects, and their
number is therefore declining. The supply of silver as a by-product of non-precious
metals production is expected to rise in the coming years.

Mexico,
China, and Peru are still the largest silver producers in the world, with Peru
leading in silver reserves. However, Peru’s reserves are declining, while
China’s are increasing. The growth in production has not kept up with the
significantly increasing demand. Extrapolating the data on reserves and
production suggests that the reserves may be completely depleted in 20 years or
sooner, given the average life of a silver mine being 10 years.

Market momentum kept silver prices low in
2022 and drove them up in 2023

Looking
at the silver price dynamics over the last 5 years, it becomes clear that a new
bullish trend in this market began around mid-2020. Since then, the silver
price has lost some of its growth, dropping to $22. The main constraint was the
strong dollar, which in turn reacted to the tightening of the Fed’s monetary
policy.

The
correlation is quite strong—together with the end of the inflationary shock and
the change of the dovish tone, the silver price found support at $18 and has
been consistently bullish since August 2022.

Inflation
expectations are positively correlated with precious metals and are a leading
indicator, especially when combined with the EURUSD effect. In the current
environment of declining inflation and lower interest rates coupled with
additional stimulus amid the banking crisis, investors believe in the beginning
of a new business cycle. This will reduce the strength of the dollar and
provide significant support to silver, possibly boosting its price to $30 in
2023.

This article was written by ForexLive at www.forexlive.com.

• Agreed that there was no immediate need to change 2013 joint statement with government
• Discussed need to guide policy flexibly given economic uncertainty
• Monetary stimulus has helped pull Japan out of deflation

It’s his first official day on the job and for now, there is no need to ruffle any feathers. The time will come when the government will seek the BOJ to pull away from its ultra easy monetary policy stance, but it is not this day. The positive wage developments from the shunto negotiations is a first step. Now, we will have to see how the inflation outlook and financial conditions play out in the months ahead before any hints of a potential policy pivot may come about.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.