18 March 2024
Goldman Sachs anticipates the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will increase interest rates at its next meeting, marking the first rate hike since 2007. This prediction follows recent developments, including stronger wage outcomes and speculation fueled by news articles. The expected policy shift suggests the BOJ will abandon its negative interest rate policy, cease yield curve control, maintain current government bond purchase levels, and keep its exchange-traded fund holdings unchanged. This shift is backed by recent wage negotiations and diverges from previous expectations of a rate change in April.