ECB’s Cipollone Backs Digital Euro as Europe Pushes for Payment System Independence 
China Services PMI Hits Three-Month High as New Orders and Hiring Improve 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Japan Declines Comment on BOJ’s Absence From Global Support Statement for Fed Chair Powell. Source: Asturio Cantabrio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
India Services Sector Rebounds in January as New Business Gains Momentum: HSBC PMI Shows Growth 
Dollar Steady as Fed Nomination and Japanese Election Shape Currency Markets 
Australia’s Corporate Regulator Urges Pension Funds to Boost Technology Investment as Industry Grows 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Lower as Tech and AI Stocks Drag Wall Street Ahead of Key Earnings 
MAS Holds Monetary Policy Steady as Strong Growth Raises Inflation Risks 
New York Fed President John Williams Signals Rate Hold as Economy Seen Strong in 2026 
Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength Caps Gains 
Stephen Miran Resigns as White House Economic Adviser Amid Federal Reserve Tenure 
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) surprised the market Friday by increasing its buying in 5-10 year bonds, trying to keep the 10-year JGB yields near zero. This move comes after the central bank unexpectedly skipped widely anticipated bond-buying operations in shorter maturities, which and pushed JGB yields higher.
Following this news, the Japanese government bonds climbed steadily after the Bank of Japan (BoJ) surprised markets, by unveiling its bond-buying plans, wherein it raised the purchase operation of long-term bonds.
The benchmark 10-year bond yield, which moves inversely to its price, hovered around 0.08 percent, while the long-term 30-year bond yields fell 1/2 basis point to 0.85 percent and the yield on the short-term 3-year note also dipped 1/2 basis point to -0.14 percent by 06:20 GMT.
The central bank, in its latest JGB buying operation plans, has raised the purchase of long-term 5-10 years maturity bonds to JPY450 billion, from JPY410 billion, while keeping other short-to-medium-term maturity bonds unchanged for purchases.
Markets now wait to watch the decision of the BoJ at its 2-day monetary policy meeting, scheduled to be held on January 30-31. We foresee that the central bank will remain committed to holding its 10-year JGB yields near zero, while keeping interest rate steady at -0.10 percent.
