EWV

The central banks have increased their assets by 38.5% in the last twelve months, which has had a profound effect on both the bond and equity markets globally.They have pushed down interest rates for their nations, in an attempt to control the debt of their respective governments, as all of the governments borrowed more and more money to support their economies during the pandemic.The ECB and the BOJ have pushed their yields below the once-unthinkable line of zero. The Fed may also be motivated into negative interest rates if the Democrats win the upcoming US elections.

Japan's leading economic index, exports, and industrial production have improved sequentially, but inflation continues to be anemic.The new PM of Japan looks set to maintain his predecessor's policies but structural reforms could be a new angle to watch out for.Investors may consider a position in EWJ or alternatively, in keeping with risk-off sentiment as flagged by The Lead-Lag Report, also consider shorting the AUD/JPY, CAD/JPY.

Japan's Cabinet Office reports that the early preliminary reading for the Leading Economic Index for September was 86.9 to match consensus expectations. The broad measure of economic activity rose from

At 45.5, Flash Japan PMI signals a further steep drop in output during September.Downturn remains broad-based amid weak demand.Pace of job shedding moderates.Business confidence highest in eight months.

With the accomplishments of Abenomics in the rear-view, the route forward for Japan remains uncertain.Robin Harding is the Tokyo Bureau chief for the Financial Times.Robin talks about the Japanese economy, Abenomics, and the evolution of monetary policy in advanced economies over the past decade.