BoJ Set to Hike Rates as Early as September Amid Global Price Pressures

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is poised to raise interest rates as early as September, according to three sources familiar with its thinking. This move would reflect concerns over price pressures from the Middle East conflict, strong global AI demand, and the Japanese Yen's weakness, which has persisted despite last month's rare US-Japan joint currency intervention.

One of the sources stated that an early rate hike 'has come into sight,' indicating a strong chance the BoJ will raise rates at its next policy meeting on September 17 and 18. Another source echoed this view, suggesting that the BoJ could accelerate the pace of rate increases.