Japan's corporate service prices rise 3% in April

May 26, 2026 8:08 PM EDT

FILE PHOTO: U.S. dollar, Euro, Yen and Pound banknotes are seen in this illustration taken May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

TOKYO, May 27 (Reuters) - ‌A key ​gauge ​of Japan's service-sector inflation rose 3.0% in April from a year ‌earlier, data showed on Wednesday, reinforcing the ⁠central bank's view that a tight labour market ‌is pushing firms to ‌pass rising costs on to consumers.

The Bank of Japan has stressed the need ​to see inflation durably hit its 2% target driven by rising wages and ⁠services prices, rather than higher raw material costs, to proceed ​with further interest rate hikes.

The increase in the services producer price index, ​which tracks the prices companies ‌charge each other for services, followed a revised 3.3% gain in ⁠March, BOJ data showed.

The BOJ ended a decade-long, massive stimulus programme in 2024 and in ⁠December raised short-term interest rates to 0.75% on ​the view Japan was on the cusp of durably meeting its 2% inflation target.

With consumer inflation having ‌exceeded its 2% target for nearly four years, the central bank ‌has signaled its readiness to keep hiking ⁠borrowing costs if ‌prices continue to ​rise steadily accompanied by higher wages.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Muralikumar ‌Anantharaman)



Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Reuters